Jul 27, 2015
I got a phone message from this number stating the call was from the IRS and "in serious trouble" and I 'owed money." Realizing this was a new scam I had heard about, I called back wanting to hear how it worked. Called back and "Steve Martin" answered and knew my name so they had me on caller id. "Steve" had a heavy Indian/Pakistani accent and stated he was with the IRS and was a "debt collector" working for the IRS. (The IRS does not cold call.) He asked if my husband's name is ___, which it is although I said I didn't know. I kept asking him what he wanted and to get to the point. He asked for the name of the person who prepared our federal taxes last year because "he is in trouble, too." . Didn't give out any information but he said we owed back taxes and will go to jail if not paid immediately. I laughed and blew him off. He became hostile and said he was calling "the sheriff right now to knock down my door and take me to jail." He kept asking the same questions (definitely scripted) and making the same threats. After about 1 1/2 minutes of this, I hung up. I simply could not get any more information so as to be able to report this scammer to the attorney general's office. He was SO threatening that I can understand why some seniors might be frightened enough to give him their social security numbers, bank account numbers, etc. He was threatening enough to have had more than harassing call charges against him, but also assault (without the battery).