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 can't find the phone number now, but there is federal agency where you can put your number on the federal 'do not call' registry. Doesn't stop them. but does cut the number.

Aren't these a pain???

https://www.donotcall.gov/