So as if CEE 300 lab reports are not enough to give me mild anxiety attacks, I received a call from the ‘IRS’ this morning, claiming that I had $3,700 worth of unpaid taxes and that I was going to be arrested in two hours. So I called them back and a man started reciting all these supposed ‘tax laws’ that I was in violation of, and that my credit card and bank account was going to be frozen. They also threatened to seize all my property (of which I have none).
And this is the number I was called from:
+1 (732) 490-1563 (from Englishtown, New Jersey)
I’m not going to lie – I was hella scared. But then Google saved the day.
I started searching the IRS page for a way to check my tax status, and this page popped up, warning of phone call scams. Apparently, it’s not uncommon for people claiming to be the IRS to call demanding for payment. So here are some things that, for me, gave them away:
A New Jersey number
First off, the IRS is located in Washington D.C. They wouldn’t be calling from anywhere but that location if they were indeed calling about something serious such as arrests. And they’re a government agency. They’d be calling from a toll-free line.
Threats to seize my (nonexistent) property
When they said this, I knew something was up. The IRS is not a law enforcement agency. They did not have the power to freeze or seize anything, much less make arrests.
Asking if I would like to ‘settle this issue outside court’
They had a ‘record of my tax history’, and knew exactly how much I owed. It seemed legitimate at first until I remembered that I had never filed for tax returns and that all my taxes are deducted immediately off my payroll.
Besides these red flags, the IRS also does not:
- Call. They only send notices in the mail.
- Demand that you pay immediately or be brought to court
- Disallow an appeal
- Threaten to revoke anything (drivers’ license, bank account, Social Security number)
- Threaten to make an arrest/imprison you for ‘up to five years’
These scammers might also claim to have, or give you:
- A Case file number
- An IRS identification number
- An ‘urgent’ call-back request
- Records of your past tax information
They may also have sounds imitating a busy call center in the background.
More information on scams such as these can be found on this IRS webpage.
Stay safe and stay smart, peeps.
The Old Cow Moos 