Have you ever tried to call the IRS? I did today after recently receiving what I knew immediately to be a SCAM .
This E Mail was supposedly right from the IRS.GOV. It was complete with calculations that it said were based on my fiscal spending, and the amount I would receive. I was owed $629.00. Of course with a convenient link. You know for forms and information they would need to have your refund processed within 6-9 days.
Sound familiar to any of you? It may, because according to one IRS Representative I spoke with they had received multiple calls just this morning, and it was currently under investigation. As a dutiful American. As someone who complains about people who see something wrong and do not do anything, I had vowed to follow through with contacting the IRS VIA a live person, no matter what. Let me tell you it was not easy.
I tried every available number I could find. Held 15 - 20 minutes on more than one occasion before giving up because it was taking too long. You are only given so many options, and each one leads to a pre recorded wait. Since I had determined to get through to a live person, I sighed as the recorded message warned me that the wait time was currently 20 + minutes. Concerned about others being scammed I held in there. I waited and paced through 40 long, long minutes of horrible canned music, until I was finally connected with a very polite representative, who introduced himself as number .
We discussed the problem of getting the warning out there. I asked what about a formal announcement? He said yes he wished that could happen it was a good idea. I guess it is up to citizen journalist to be watchdogs for the everyday Joe. I was told that these E mails are most likely linked to some kind of pay pal Email account. DO NOT CLICK THE LINK!!! Sometimes that's all they need .They come and go quickly, hit your bank account and are gone before the victim even knows what happened.
I did go ahead and click the link while on the phone with the IRS agent, unfortunately it had already been a few days since it arrived, and the account had a quite fake looking "Account Under Suspension" web page. They had probably moved on, but left that message so the recipient will think, oh well account suspended, must have been caught. The IRS representative has recommended spreading the word. You will Never receive an initial contact from the IRS regarding a refund.
With so many Americans wondering where their stimulus check is, or why they didn't receive one, there is a large population out there that are vulnerable if they do not know of this current scam.The IRS recently announced that many couples who have been looking for their stimulus checks will be receiving them soon. Some of them may just click the link. It would be a disaster for a family already struggling financially . Imagine all the checks you wrote for bills coming back marked insufficient funds. Now you not only have late payments and possibly even shut offs of utilities, but bank fees also that will make your head spin.
The IRS agent has asked that anyone who receives one of these emails to please forward to the following address: phishing@IRS.gov
