Here at the FTC, we think about scams all day long. What are the scammers’ new angles? How can we keep ahead of them? We hear from people about the scams they see, and we turn that into tips people use to spot and avoid scams.
But scammers find FTC staff, just as they find the rest of America. My colleagues and I have even gotten calls on our work phones, offering reduced credit card interest rates, or claiming to be tech support calling about problems with our computers. We also get the calls at home. In fact, someone claiming to work for the IRS called my house just last week:
This has all the signs of an IRS imposter scam. In fact, the IRS won’t call out of the blue to ask for payment, won’t demand a specific form of payment, and won’t leave a message threatening to sue you if you don’t pay right away. Have you gotten a bogus IRS call like this? If you did, report the call to the FTC and to TIGTA – include the phone number it came from, along with any details you have.
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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.
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In reply to just got this call by spring45
Yes. This is a scam. Do not return the call.
If the IRS wants to reach you, they will send a letter.
In reply to got several calls now... I am by dhincalifornia
The real IRS does not call people and threaten them. If you're already working with the IRS, you can all and ask about your account.
I keep getting a call on my phone claiming to be the IRS that number is 366-967-5441
In reply to I saw this was an old post, by FooledConsumer
You can also help law enforcement by reporting this to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. You have a lot of relevant details to include in your report. The information you provide will be added to a secure database that law enforcement nationwide use for investigations.
In reply to I saw this was an old post, by FooledConsumer
In reply to Got a call today from by izziefnp
In reply to Got a call today from by izziefnp
Pagination