IRS TAX SCAMMER ARRESTED
 

Good news, but pulling one or even 700 weeds doesn't mean all the weeds are gone. In 2015 this creep defrauded Americans of $13.4M. Now it's over $300M.

You would think...
 

You would think the accent would give it away.

IRS problem, Car warranty, Computer problem, won the lottery but needs your credit card number to confirm, etc, etc, etc.

Back in the old days it was the travelers showing up at your door to resurface your driveway but needed money to run to Lowes to get the materials.

Then there was the "under cover cops" who needed you to help uncover bank fraud. Just needed you to withdraw a bunch of money and put it in a bag.

"Back in the old days it was the travelers showing up at your door to resurface your driveway but needed money to run to Lowes to get the materials."

Oh the old days when problems could be solved with duct tape, heavy duty plastic painters cloths and a backhoe.:D

Always wondered why my grandfather had pigs, but we never slaughtered them. They kept getting fat, though. ;)

Apply rancher SOP of the "3 S's": SHOOT, SHOVEL & SHUTUP! It works for bears, wolves and coyotes (both 4-legged and 2-legged kinds), so why not "travelers"?

We get at least one client a week who calls and says the IRS called them threatening action if a bill wasn't paid. Bottom line is this: the IRS will never call you trying to collect a bill...ever. They use the good old US Mail (not email), and will send at least three letters (the last two being the certified kind) before things get hairy.

If you get a call from "them" about a bill, just hang up. Not worth the fight, nor the worry.

My favorite one was the "agent" who told their potential victim that they accepted iTunes cards if they didn't have the cash on hand to pay the alleged bill.

There are entire hour long you tube videos of people that play with these scammers. Some are lame but some are hilarious.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i2AMdkt2JoE

I will check it out, sir. I could use a good laugh with 8 days to go in tax season.

Thanks!

ETA: If you get a "representative" without having to wait AT ALL, it's safe to say they're probably not with the IRS.

Ironically, I just received a call from one of the IRS scammers as I was reading this. So in spite of these arrests, there are still many more out there.

I figure that these guys who mess with the scammers are doing a service. Every minute that the scammer is on the phone with someone who is playing with them is a minute the scammer can't spend calling someone who will actually fall for the scam.

Many of them are automated and dialing people by the hundreds to get a "bite." What amazes me the most, are the people who are actually allowing themselves to be victimized by these trolls.

Many of the victims I have talked with knew immediately upon hanging up the phone with them that they were "victims." They admit to it. Many simply have an aversion to telling people what they think of them or where they should go.

Be poor by being polite or keep your money by telling them the truth. It's their choice...many choose to be deceived.

That would be fun..if during the time you were keeping the scammer on the line exact targeting data was being uploaded to the Predator overhead.

Same reasons why serial killers get women in their creepy van. The aversion to be rude even when the hair on their neck is standing.

That resonates with me. I believe some of us raise our kids to be this way...polite to a fault, always let the other guy go first, don't call people on BS, etc. For most, the pendulum of correction when a kid is rude swings too far to the polite zone and creates passive-aggressive people-pleasers. While this keeps confrontation down, and makes day-to-day life "smoother", it teaches that surrender to please is a good thing, and standing for yourself is a bad thing. It's almost as if politeness is taught as "please don't hurt me" vs being a state of restrained strength. Let it go long enough, and people start doing things they normally wouldn't do (like get in a creepy van or keep talking to a scammer when they know they are being scammed) when confronted with a potentially impolite situation.