If you have been reading these newsletters, you know how prevalent and aggressive tax scammers have become, especially when posing as IRS agents.  It is estimated that they have duped over 5,000 people out of $26.5 million over the last few years. It's hard to believe, but they even managed to get paid with iTunes gift cards to the tune of $1.4 million! 

This week the tide turned a bit, as police near Mumbai, India acted on a tip and raided a series of call centers.  Equipment was seized, 600 people are under investigation, and 70 were arrested for extortion, fraud, and the use of a criminal threat.  

The call center employees would send mass text messages to American cell phone numbers, make threatening "robo-calls" using spoofed IRS phone numbers, and impersonate IRS agents when recipients called back.  Surprisingly, they were successful in collecting up to $150,000 a day - one victim alone gave $60,000 to keep his home from getting "raided by the authorities!"  

This is no doubt just the "tip of the iceberg." There are many more call centers out there and many new schemes yet to surface. Don't be a victim - check with us first if you are contacted, and stay safe with these words from the  real IRS  :

"If you are surprised to be hearing from us, then you're not hearing from us."