For what, I have no idea. I tried calling them back, it rang and rang and didn't answer. I did a reverse number look up and got no result. The phone # came from Bellingham Washinton. Is this a scam?

Yes.... the IRS never calls people. It sends official letters.

You can look this up on the internet. There has been a rash of scamming for the last year or so.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts

What a way to scare people, huh? Why in the world do they do this? I figured it was just a scam after a few minutes of terror. Right, they didn't use my name plus I have never gotten a letter about this. Good thing I kept my head on straight.

So now you know IF you get such a call.

If you google phone scams and set the time for the past week e.g., you can bring up heaps of them. It's astounding.

What I find even worse is that legitimate companies like our Banks pass on private information. I've not received one in ages but I used to have a company affiliated with my Bank who would phone me regularly wanting me to sign up for a funeral plan. grrrrr.

Also I find it morally wrong for Banks to send people offers to increase their credit card limits via internet forms. This happens all the time to struggling students who are living hand to mouth and probably only needed a credit card to a certain limit in the first place to see them through their studies or to help arrange flights or student accommodation. It doesn't seem to matter to them if you are not yet empoyed full time or if you have the ability to pay back the necessary amounts every month. If you have that original credit card limit then they tempt people to increase it to a size that is absolutely impossible to pay back. grrrr again.

Lara, the banks and credit card companies have all the default accounts that they foresee happening factored into their "bottom line". They know there will be some bills that will not be paid but I agree that they tempt the people who can least afford it.

After my DH passed away I got several "pre-approved" credit card offers and a couple of them had checks that were made out to ME with a letter stating all I needed to do was deposit the check and the money was mine. This should be illegal.

Kitty, that's shocking.

I just got this call a few hours ago......had already heard of this scam so I just hung up. Stupid people.

Debi from Georgia

Wiix, I am very sorry this happened to you. It can be a bit frightening at first. Thanks for starting a thread on this.

Thanks to all contributors of this thread. My mother is a senior citizen and the scam calls come in every day. Some of these scam artists are very convincing in their tactics, as they tap into fear. If my mother has questions about a call, she sends the call to me. I screen the call. Many callers hang up when they are told they have to speak to one of her adult children.

They are told not to call back and there are regulations around this; however, many disregard the request and the regulations.

Great topic to address.
Thanks again.

Warmly,
DejaVu

We've even had TV public service announcements about this fake IRS scam ,, as well as the jury duty scam..and warrant for arrest if fees not paid.. etc..
phone calls & emails they can come both ways..


http://www.snopes.com/search/?q=IRS+scam

Shows you how desperate people are for money!

I got a call yesterday and the caller ID was "Police SWAT". Now, just seeing that on the phone was enough to rattle me!

I answered and it was a man calling for donations to the Police Benevolent Fund.

I told him I had already donated and hung up.