|
|
|
|
|
|
Another IRS Scam Targeting Veterans May 10, 2016 The deadline for filing your 2015 tax returns has passed, but the scammers employing
a new, highly effective technology to scam you have not. The IRS has issued a major
warning to all citizens that a new IRS scam is making the rounds and all should be aware, especially vulnerable veterans. Using this new technology, typically, scammers try to scare their victims into remitting
funds for a supposed tax bill. They often alter caller ID to make it appear the call is actually from the IRS (Caller ID technology
purporting to be the IRS frightens most into making illogical decisions). They may even request you send a copy of your receipt
for a remittance to an actual IRS office, which lends credence to their highly effective scam methodology. Keep in mind, no government agency, including the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) will ever request financial information from you over the telephone. The IRS may telephonically contact you, but only after having sent documentation to you by mail. This documentation
will have reference numbers no scammers will have access to. To detect scammers from actual IRS employees, according to the IRS official website,
the IRS will not:
If you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe you do, do not provide any information and hang up immediately.
Report the contact to TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484.
If you owe taxes or think you might, contact the IRS at 800-8239-1040 for assistance by IRS workers.
Listen to scam calls
https://www.pindrop.com/irs-phone-scam-live-call_analysis/
Highly Sophisticated Scam Tartgeting Veterans June 30, 2016 Veterans beware! There is a new scam sweeping the country targeting U.S. veterans. This highly sophisticated scam involves the use of new telephonic technology, and a well-orchestrated cast of scam artists who mimic Veterans Affairs (VA) culture. Unfortunately, the scam has already ripped off thousands of veterans – don’t be the next victim.
The scam uses sophisticated telephonic technology that imitates VA operating signatures, thus, giving the impression via caller ID that the veteran is receiving a telephone call from the VA. Most veterans will see the following on their call ID system: “Department of Veterans Affairs, 1-800-827-1000.”
The second part of the scam involves the scam artists pretending to be VA personnel. The scam artists are using scripted material to mimic the culture of VA personnel by implementing processes that would be used when a veteran contacts the VA. Most veterans are getting the following:
Scam artists: “Hello, Mr. Smith, this is John from the VA, I’m contacting you because the VA is reaching out to veterans to ensure the accuracy of their records with us. Do you have a minute to go over your records at the VA?
Veteran: Yes!
Scam artists: “Before I get started, thank you for your service.”
Veteran: “No problem.”
Scam artists: “Mr. Smith, can you verify what branch of the military you served?”
Veteran: “The Army.”
Scam artists: “Ok. Thank you. Can you verify your current address?”
Veteran: “555 Main St., Topeka, Kansas.”
Scam artists: “Ok. Great! Can you verify your birthday?”
Veteran: “July 10, 1947.”
Scam artists: “Please verify your last compensation payment amount.”
At this point, if the veteran provides information and gives an amount, the scam artists are using another script that eventually leads to asking the veteran to verify their social security number. If the veteran refuses to give information, the scam artists inform the veteran that he/she needs to be transferred to the Finance department. Then, the scam continues as:
Scam artists: “This is Mike in the Finance department. How are you Mr. Smith?”
Veteran: “I’m ok.”
Scam artists: “As John mentioned to you, we [VA] are reaching out to veterans to ensure the accuracy of their information on file with the VA. We want to make sure nothing happens to your current or future payments from the VA. Is that ok with you Mr. Smith?”
Veteran: “Sure.”
Scam artists: “Mr. Smith can you verify your social security number on file with the VA?”
Veteran: 123-12-1234
Scam artists: “Great! Thank you. Also, can you verify the credit card we have on file for you?”
Veteran: “I don’t have a credit card on file with the VA. Do I need to have a credit card on file?”
Scam artists: “Yes! To make sure any incidentals are covered. In 99.9% of the cases, the credit card is never used, and if the credit card is used it will never exceed $10. Public law, and VA policy makes it necessary we have a credit card on file just in case something comes up that is not covered by the VA. So, what card would you like to keep on file? We take Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. Which would you like to use?”
If you get a call from the “VA” and the scenario resembles anything close to the narrative above, terminate the telephone call. It is likely you are being scammed.
Please remember, the VA will never ask you for personally identifiable information over the phone. Never! |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||
|
|