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IRS Impostor Scam Targets Connecticut's Tax Commissioner

February 23, 2015

IRS impostor scams, ruthlessly non-discriminatory, fear no one. But sometimes they pick on the wrong people.

Criminals posing as agency representatives have coerced almost 3,000 victims by telephone to pay more than $14 million in the phone scam, says the IRS. Last week, they tried to fool Kevin Sullivan of West Hartford, probably unaware he's commissioner of Connecticut's Department of Revenue Services. In language even scammers should understand: He's the state's Tax Man.

"So I get home last night," says Sullivan, "hit the blinking light [on his landline's answering machine] and the message was a stern woman's voice saying, 'We've been trying to reach you for some time.'"

And . . .

"'This is to give you official notice from the IRS, the Internal Revenue Services' — mind it, plural 'Services,'" says Sullivan, which is the first tip right there — that we are going to be commencing a lawsuit unless you call this number and resolve your liability."

If Sullivan had returned the call, he probably would have been told he could resolve his liability by paying either in cash or an untraceable prepaid card.

The real IRS does not call taxpayers. Its first contact is always by U.S. mail.

"This means that no matter what the person on the other line says, they should hang up the phone and not provide any personal or financial information," says Anny Pachner, an IRS spokeswoman.

Do not ask someone to return an IRS-related call, either.

"If you don't call back from that landline," says Sullivan, "you can't get them. The system is programmed to recognize only people they have called. So I can't call from here [DRS] today and I can't have my security people call."

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has been contacted about the scam almost 290,000 times since October 2013. If you receive a call from someone claiming to represent the IRS, report it to the TIGTA at 800-366-4484.

The Federal Trade Commission received close to 55,000 complaints last year about IRS impostor scams, a substantial increase from the 2,500 complaints in 2013. (Use the FTC's "Complaint Assistant" at http://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov.)

If you receive a call from someone claiming to represent the IRS, report it to the TIGTA at 800-366-4484.

we are going to be commencing a lawsuit unless you call this number and resolve your liability."

Lord Jim wrote:Since he's a federal fugitive, they might send somebody from the US Marshal's office:

Joe Guy wrote:

Lord Jim wrote:Since he's a federal fugitive, they might send somebody from the US Marshal's office:

I did see someone on my street wearing a cowboy hat today. Now I'm worried...

I did see someone on my street wearing a cowboy hat today. Now I'm worried...