WASHINGTON ? The Internal Revenue Service today warned consumers about a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, throughout the country.

Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver?s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.

?This scam has hit taxpayers in nearly every state in the country.  We want to educate taxpayers so they can help protect themselves.  Rest assured, we do not and will not ask for credit card numbers over the phone, nor request a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer,? says IRS Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel. ?If someone unexpectedly calls claiming to be from the IRS and threatens police arrest, deportation or license revocation if you don?t pay immediately, that is a sign that it really isn?t the IRS calling.? Werfel noted that the first IRS contact with taxpayers on a tax issue is likely to occur via mail
Other characteristics of this scam include:
Scammers use fake names and IRS badge numbers. They generally use common names and surnames to identify themselves.
Scammers may be able to recite the last four digits of a victim?s Social Security Number.
Scammers spoof the IRS toll-free number on caller ID to make it appear that it?s the IRS calling.
Scammers sometimes send bogus IRS emails to some victims to support their bogus calls.
Victims hear background noise of other calls being conducted to mimic a call site.
After threatening victims with jail time or driver?s license revocation, scammers hang up and others soon call back pretending to be from the local police or DMV, and the caller ID supports their claim.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, here?s what you should do:
If you know you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue ? if there really is such an issue.
If you know you don?t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (for example, you?ve never received a bill or the caller made some bogus threats as described above), then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1.800.366.4484.
If you?ve been targeted by this scam, you should also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their ?FTC Complaint Assistant? at FTC.gov.  Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments of your complaint.
Taxpayers should be aware that there are other unrelated scams (such as a lottery sweepstakes) and solicitations (such as debt relief) that fraudulently claim to be from the IRS.
The IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against phone and email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information.  This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS also does not ask for PINs, passwords or similar confidential access information for credit card, bank or other financial accounts. Recipients should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the message. Instead, forward the e-mail to phishing@irs.gov.

More information on how to report phishing scams involving the IRS is available on the genuine IRS website, IRS.gov.

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam

Received a phone call from IRS Officer Heather Gray.  When I called back I spoke to IRS Officer James Anderson.  Claimed they needed at least $50,000.00 in the next half hour, otherwise the IRS was going to issue an immediate warrant for my arrest,  They would seize all of my property, vehicles, bank accounts, credit cards, vehicles and not release them for 5 years.  I would be arrested and taken down to the courthouse for immediate arraignment and placed in prison for a minimum of 2 years!

Immediately called my CPA and he told me it was a scam.  Looked it up on the internet and it is all over the place!

Recieved the same call from a Woman claiming to be an "IRS Agent", It was a recorded message.. stated call back or legal action would be taken. I checked out the number on the internet and found these postings.. I called them back and a male answered the first thing I asked him was for the IRS agent Nuber and guess what... he immediately hung up!!

What a scam..... I have reported it to the IRS....

Said it was the internal revenue service and that they were beginning proceedings and I needed to contact them at 415-251-9150. She said I had a warrant out for my arrest and would be arrested within 24 hours. Asking for money to be paid immediately to stop the process. When Iasked her if this is a fraud she got agitated and hung up.

I received a call from 415-251-9150.  When I answered it was a pre-recorded digital message of a female voice.  It says to call back immediately, or have our attorney call back.  It repeated, DO NOT IGNORE THIS MESSAGE!  And to call back before they take legal action.  Scam. . .

I got a second call today at 4:27 pm from 415-251-9150 on June 7, 2014.  I did not answer the phone and the caller left a message, which is unusual for a telemarketer.  It was a recorded message.  The caller purported to be from the Internal Revenue Service and the caller identified herself as Officer Heather Grey.  She left instructions to return the call "... before we take any legal allegation against you."  One of my neighbors told me he received a similar call a couple of days ago and immediately realized it was a scam because he didn't owe any money to the IRS.  I reported the first call on donotcall.gov and I will report this call, too.

A female by the name fo Heddi called to say she was from the IRS. Although I answered the call all I had was a recording of her voice. She said I needed to call her back right away before the IRS took legal action against us. I did not call, nor have I responded in any way after checking the number on the web.

This morning, at 11:18, I received a call from 415-251-9150 on June 7, 2014.  I did not answer the phone and the caller left a message, which is unusual for a telemarketer.  I believe it was a recorded message.  The caller purported to be from the Internal Revenue Service and the caller identified herself as Officer Heather Grey.  She left instructions to return the call "... before we take any legal allegation against you."  One of my neighbors told me he received a similar call a couple of days ago and immediately realized it was a scam because he didn't owe any money to the IRS.  I will report the call on donotcall.gov.

Said she was an IRS officer by name of Heather Grey. Couldn't understand her well but something about investigating us and I needed to call them or they would prosecute me. Blocked them

I just got an automated message warning about legal action that is time sensitive. I need to respond immediately before legal action is taken by the IRS. Tells me not to ignore.

Just received a call from this number. She left a message with the name Heather Gray. Thanks to this website I will not be calling her back. My taxes are done by an accountant so if there are any errors he would have to answer all their questions.

claim of an IRS problem - bs

Recived call about 9:15 this morning from this number.  Did not answer but message, which was only about half picked up, had a woman's voice and claimed to be "Hanna Gray"  with the IRS.  Very serious, "Do not ignore this call."

Report the calls to the real IRS here:

IRS:   http://www.irs.gov/

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Report-Phishing
phishing@irs.gov
http://www.treasury.gov/tigta/

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-8c2f64bf2b91fa5/irs-warns-of-telephone-scam

?If you owe federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.
?If you don?t owe taxes, call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.
?You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov. Add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments in your complaint.

I had the same call today and was told I was being investigated by the IRS going back 7 years and that I needed to call 415-251-9150 and ask to speak to his boss Edward Maxwell immediately to take care of this. He knew my name and address but that was it. I also found it very strange that an office in California would be calling Chesapeake, Virginia instead of locally, say from Norfolk or even Richmond the capital. The guy had an accent and it was difficult to understand. I thought the whole thing smelled fishy.  I'm not calling anybody!

My wife received a call from this number and he asked my call back. I called him this morning. He said that my tax return showed some miscalculation. I told him that don't scare me and hanged up. I don't think that he is IRS agent.

The caller (Indian male) left a cryptic message on our VM.  Had to listen 5 times, just to hear the phone number. Claimed to be from the Internal Revenue Service Department and that we should not ignore this call.  What nonsense.

Report the call to the real IRS here:

IRS:   http://www.irs.gov/

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Report-Phishing
phishing@irs.gov
http://www.treasury.gov/tigta/

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts
http://800notes.com/forum/ta-8c2f64bf2b91fa5/irs-warns-of-telephone-scam

?If you owe federal taxes, or think you might owe taxes, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with your payment questions.
?If you don?t owe taxes, call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.
?You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov. Add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments in your complaint.

just got a call from paul walker of the IRS.  heavy indian accent and can barely understand him. suspect scam

Received a couple of calls from 415-251-9150 claimed to be IRS.  The person who called had a very heavy Indian accent.  It's a prank call.

A client came in to my office upset after receiving a call from "Gary" at this number. Said he was from the IRS and that she was going to have her license revoked and be placed under arrest for an earned income credit that she received in which she was entitled to. The IRS will NEVER, under any circumstances, contact you via telephone demanding a payment. What a scam. Hopefully they are shut down soon. I'm sure there are people out there that are giving up bank information in fear of being penalized by the IRS.

Thus caller from 415-251-9150 is a thief/scamster trying to intimidate innocent people and demanding money transfers by faking as an IRS agent....he is still around making these phone calls...Beware!!

The caller from 415-251-9150 is a fraud and trying to steal money from innocent people by faking as an IRS agent and threatening with arrest warrants....Beware...

Got a call today from a guy with an Indian accent ,barely able to make what he was saying, said that we owe IRS money and i will be arrested in two hours. Then i said my husband is not here he said he need to talk to someone in charge and ask. He came back and said i need  to come up with $2000 some dollars in cash and meet them on a home depot parking lot in thirty min. My son called the police and asked and the police said that there was no arrest for me and it was a scam.

Received message.  Said he was from IRS and to speak to my late husband(he has been dead over 10 years).  He did not call him by his legal nme.

Got a message over the weekend, Man with heavy accent.  Said time sensitive, do not ignore, you or your attorney to call him back.  IRS time sensitive issue. He said his name was Robert Miller, but it sounded like an Indian accent.

I did call the number thinking it was IRS .. got a busy signal.   BUT then,  got to wondering why I was  getting a phone call.

Thanks for all the other posts.  I won't be calling them back.

Received the following message from this number: "This message is intended for Jason ******. Jason the very second you receive this message I need you or your written attorney off record to return the call. The issue at time is extremely time sensitive. My name is Sonya Gordon calling from the IRS that is Internal Revenue Service. And hotline to my division is 4152519150. I repeat it's 4152519150 don't try to disregard this message and do return the call as soon as possible.

Got a call from this number 2x today - Memorial Day - claiming to be the IRS and I need to call back immediately to avoid legal action. Same as above, man with a very heavy accent that I could barely understand...had to listen to the message more than once and couldn't even get the entire message. It has to be a SCAM...I will not call back; I seriously doubt the IRS would be calling anyone on Memorial Day! I hope nobody falls for this...

Claims to be an IRS agent.  BS.  Daniel Martin was the name he used.  

Is there a number with IRS that people can submit a complaint to they can investigate? He is impersonating an IRS agent which I think is a felony.

Got a voice message yesterday(5/22/2014) from an Indian lady saying she is from the IRS and left me this phone number. I called today good thing I did not give any information from me. They only know my home phone and home address. The indian guy talk to me and said I got a lawsuit from the IRS and I need to find a lawyer. So I ask him why do I ought money to the IRS when I never miss filing my tax and paying them. So he said I ought IRS 3K and they will send the police if I will not pay the amount. So I told him ok I will talk to my accountant for the tax filing and get back to you. I called 1.800.829.1040 and found out that it was a scam. Beware guys!!!