Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have four outstanding warrants against me, and if I don't call back right away the local cops are going to arrest me!
(These calls would be funny, except that when I think about how a retarded person or a confused elderly person might react to them any laughter dies on my lips. I wish these scammers could be caught and prosecuted, but I bet most of them aren't even int he US.)
yeah, its so stupid. unfortunately i am aware of someone who is elderly and had an episode which left him weakened physically and mentally and he was convinced that he had to pay them or he would lose his house. fortunately other people prevented it (may not have been if he wasnt actually stuck in the hospital) but these are the people who fall victim to this crap.
After getting them back to back on house landline and then my cell phone, several days in a row, 3 times a day, I learned this to stop them in their tracks:
I just very calmly say to them " if you call my number again with this fraudulent phone call, I will turn it into the police, I have it recorded ".
Besides the usual immediate hang ups, One guy actually said " uh, sorry to have bothered you", and anotger said "i think I have the wrong number". Both were India people. Like the IRS is going to sell out its calls.
My 90 yo FIL has a good way to stop anybody who wants money from him, he says " I don't do business over the phone, if you come to my house I'll be glad to discuss it with you".
They called my mother one time. She noted how combative they were. These scammers are out of control! The sad thing is that enough people are falling victim to this mess to still make it profitable for the crooks.
i seem to be getting calls for this now. i didnt pick it up though. is it strange that its from an 800 number? i will call them back on my way home from work to have some fun with the person.
The I.R.S. Really Doesn’t Want to Hear From You
By John Schwartz
The Internal Revenue Service sends out warnings every year about the ways that crooks trick people out of their tax refunds. These news releases make for some of the most entertaining reading available from public affairs offices...
In the latest batch, the I.R.S. tells us that many swindles begin with a threatening phone call from the agency. Or, rather, a call that’s supposed to be from the I.R.S.
lol I've actually received those phone calls a few times the over the last year. The people that call don't speak English as their first language and it's hard to understand what they are saying. lol I tell them "I can't really understand you so you're going to need to have someone else call me" then I hang up.
I swear I had these IRS messages on my machine at home, every single day, for probably 3 weeks last year. My number is registered with the DNC list and has been for years, but that doesn’t stop these scam callers. Just makes you wonder...do people really fall for this stuff?
Sadly, yes. They tend to prey hardest on the elderly, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations who don’t know any better. The elderly in particular are less likely to read the warnings/articles, since they most often circulate via social media and other online sources (less likely to be printed in actual newspapers). They might also have dementia or other cognitive decline, making them susceptible to wild stories and intimidation.
I’m a public librarian, and used to have an elderly male patron who’d ask me to “fact check” mailed scams - ones like timeshare deals, investments, lowered mortgages, etc, if he’d just send them a “deposit” and/or his personal bank info. I’m just glad he knew enough to ask for help, and of course I’d always tell him to throw them away!! But for those who don’t have someone to help, they are an easy target for scammers.
Oh, and yes I’ve been getting those “IRS” calls too! I just laugh, but also feel sad for those who are duped. They’re low-life scum, whoever is behind these.
Last edited by gizmo980; 03-23-2018 at 03:52 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
