IRS TAX SCAMMER ARRESTED

[LarryW]

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.

Indian police said on Saturday they have arrested the alleged mastermind behind a call center scam run out of a Mumbai suburb that targeted thousands of Americans and netted more than $300 million.

Sagar Thakkar, also known as Shaggy, was arrested at the Mumbai international airport in the early hours of Saturday after he flew in from Dubai, Mukund Hatote, a police officer on the case, told Reuters.

In October, the U.S. Justice Department charged more than 60 people in India and the United States with participating in the huge scam where call center agents impersonated Internal Revenue Service, immigration or other federal officials and demanded payments for nonexistent debts.

The department said at least 15,000 people had been targeted by the telefraud that was run out of India.

The scam was blown open in early October, when Indian police raided a host of call centers in the Mumbai suburb of Thane and detained over 700 people allegedly involved in defrauding Americans. Other call centers involved in the scam that operated from the western city of Ahmedabad were also raided and shut down by authorities.

(more)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-in...KBN17A05V?il=0

[Pete]

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.

[Oldrotorhead]

"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.

[DIYPatriot]

Originally Posted by Oldrotorhead

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

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

[TOMAHAWK9521]

Originally Posted by Oldrotorhead

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

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"?

[bandycpa]

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.

[miclo18d]

Originally Posted by bandycpa

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

[bandycpa]

Originally Posted by miclo18d

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.

[trinity]

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.

[trinity]

Originally Posted by miclo18d

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 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.

[Sohei]

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.

[bblhead672]

Originally Posted by miclo18d

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

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.

[miclo18d]

Originally Posted by Agoge2

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.

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.

[bandycpa]

Originally Posted by miclo18d

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.

[Last hard class]

On Hold with the IRS as I write this. Just received my 4883C letter. Someone has filed a return under my name. I know this because the letter is dated before we e-filed. After verification was told they need me to come in to office if I want to resolve this anytime soon. All So Cal offices are booked for next 60 days But I can travel 230 miles north and get in tomorrow.

Road trip.



LHC