Tax Scam Alert Michael Smith of Wisconsin 920-535-4222We had a user report of a tax scam phone call from “Michael Smith of Wisconsin IRS.” He called from 920-535-4222 and was not in any way associated with the real IRS.
Do not believe anything you hear from “Michael Smith” or anyone calling from the IRS. Here is the story:
Q. Does the IRS call you with a recorded message? IRS Scam Phone Numbers
A. No, never. They would send you a letter in the mail.
My Tax Scam Experience with “IRS Agent” Michael Smith from Wisconsin
Let’s start from the beginning. Today I received an automated call from the number 1-920-535-4222. My phone calls with “IRS Agent Michael Smith” and “Senior Officer David Johnson” from Wisconsin.
I understand that this is a bunch of information, but I wanted to get out the full story of my dealings with these phone scammers. I rushed this information out to get the word out, so please ignore my bad grammar and spelling.
In broken robotic English the message states:
This matter is very serious emergency and time-sensitive. We have just received a notification regarding your tax filings from the headquarters which will get expired in next 24 working hours. And once it get expired, after that you will be taken under custody by the local cops. as there are four serious allegations pressed on your name at this moment.
We would request you to get back to us so we can discuss about this case, before taking any legal action against you.
The number to reach us is 920 530 4222, I repeat 920 530 4222.
Thank you.
The many issues with this message should spell out phone scam, but we decided to play into the game. I first called from my non-business line just to see what happens if the information doesn’t match up with their purchased leads. This went as expected but I was able to get some information out of the scammer that I could easily contact the IRS and verify the fraud.
The hold time seemed long for a scammer who knows every minute is important to make his money. I think the hold was related to calling from a number other than the one that called me.
Annoying classical music. I have waited on hold for the IRS many many times in my life and never experienced any thing similar to this.
Your call is very important to us, please stay on the line and you will be transferred to the next available agent.
More annoying classical music.
Your call is very important to us, please stay on the line and you will be transferred to the next available agent.
Strong Indian Accent: “Thank you for calling the crime and investigation department of the Internal Revenue Service. How can I help you?”
Me: “Uh yes I received a phone call from this number, said something regarding some crime.”
“Agent”: “You received a phone call from your home phone number or your cell phone?”
Me: “My cellphone number.”
“Agent”: “Can I have your cellphone number, so I grab your details in my system?”
Me: “Sure 501-###-####”
“Agent”: “Okay sir I got your details. Can I have your first and last name so I can verify who I am speaking with?”
Me: “George Ross”(not true at all, just testing the scammers information.)
“Agent”: “For support, write my name.”
Me:(Messing with him some)
“Agent”: “Michael Smith, the investigation officer Michael Smith. My federal tax id number is WA76985”
Me: “Okay”
“Agent”: “Your case ID number is G121288.”
Me: “Okay”
“Agent Michael Smith”: “So, now you have to go to your nearest IRS office. You have to give them you your case ID and my tax id number.”
Basically, he figured out that I was not a good mark so he ran through his spiel to get me off the phone. I was able to find out that he was claiming to be out of Wisconsin though. Also he claimed a “John Kins” was the head of special investigations unit he represented.
After all of this, I decided to call back again as myself and try to find a way to better track down these scammers. As an accountant, I know the one way to catch any thief is follow the money. As a note, I also received a similar call from 1-718-233-3492.
Here is my phone call with Michael Smith “IRS Special Investigations Officer.”
Once again I was on hold, but the call was answered very quickly this time. “Michael Smith” then verified my identity.
He introduced himself as Michael Smith from the IRS. “Michael” then told me that I was in trouble with the IRS and that I had committed tax fraud unintentionally. He said the IRS had filed a lawsuit against me over this.
“Michael” informed me that I didn’t respond back to the IRS notice that I received in the mail. He is reading his spiel very quickly and sorry that it is hard to understand.
“Michael” told me that they had checked my background and I had previously paid my taxes on time.
“Michael” let me know that the lines were monitored by the IRS, many federal, state, and local agencies. He was quite authoritative for someone reading from a script.
“Michael” repeated his previous information and let me know that I owed $5,986. He let me know all of the laws that I was accused of breaking.
“Michael” let me know that I could have my bank accounts frozen, have a lien on my property, my social security number could be blacklisted, lose all of my welfare benefits, and lose my passport. I will be arrested by the police and go to court. If I couldn’t immediately pay, I would be held in jail for five years for tax fraud.
Now he pulls me in by giving me another way to handle my $5,986.00.
Now he sends me to the closer. In a fraud like this, normally they have many individuals calling with a script to bring you in, then they will send you over to the person who actually “closes the sale.” It’s similar to sales in that way with the lead generation end. I was not considered a high quality lead. Way to go me.
Meet the “Senior Investigation Officer David Johnson”.
“David” tells me to go to my bank, get $6000 cash and take it to my newest IRS office. I hope no one listening or reading considers this to be the normal. The IRS would never ever request payment via cash.
This sounds so crazy that I cannot help but double check that he even thinks anyone in the word would ever do this. He does do this though, so someone has to be falling for this.
“David” considers to threaten me with the federal marshall. He says that I need to stay on the phone with him the entire time.
“David” has some strange requirements. He has me blow my horn to validate that I am in my car. I am not a very good undercover agent, but the fact that I didn’t bust out laughing proves sometimes.
“David Johnson” is very considerate and asks that I keep him on speaker phone so he doesn’t distract me. What a great phone scammer.
“David” tells me exactly what to do and basically admits that what he is doing is illegal and wrong. As a note, I didn’t go to my bank, I just moved my truck in the driveway.
“David” tells me that I need to go to 304 Ouachita Avenue, Hot Springs, Arizona, 71901. The “Special IRS Agent” isn’t aware that AR stands for Arkansas. Also 304 Ouachita Avenue is not used as an IRS office anymore. It was just a vacant building next to a restaurant. I even knocked and no one answered at 3pm on a Monday.
Once I arrived at the “IRS office,” everything changed. My cash was no longer good for “David Johnson’s” legal department. I now have to use the EFTPS, which I acted like I hadn’t heard of. The truth is, as an accountant, I have helped many individuals pay their taxes through the electronic system. This is actually the way you do pay your taxes online with the IRS. https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/
“David” now told me that I needed to get an electronic tax payment voucher from a government approval(or is he saying Apple?) store.
“David” is now helping me find a government approved store. He finds me a Best Buy? This should be a red flag for anyone who has missed all of the many red flags here.
Once I arrived at the Best Buy. He tells me what kind of electronic voucher I need. It’s an Itunes gift card. WHAT? (Listen to all of the other scammers in his call center in the background.)
“David” tells me exactly what to do. He’s a very bossy scammer. I finally figured out how he was getting paid. Itunes gift cards are bought and sold like crazy on the bitcoin/black market online. This is his pay day because the cards would be sold for half of the face value. These cards are very hard to trace and Apple doesn’t currently regulate them.
I decided to reach out to “David Johnson” for one last information grab. He tells me that giving him the voucher number will not mean that they will use them. He really should remember his name better though. I did hang up on “FBI Senior Investigator David Johnson.” I received several calls from 1-920-535-4222 and 1-718-233-3492. These two seem to be from the same call center.
I wanted to post this to let you know my experience with these scammers. Please be on the lookout and never trust anything without validating with the IRS.
Article by DrewPenn.com