Brazen Area Code (202) Scam Calls for Money

Just this month, I received two cold calls threatened me with arrest if I did not make a settlement on some IRS matters. Both calls were left on my voice mail. The first call was made by a male East Indian "IRS officer" with a heavy accent who barely spoke understandable English. I deleted that message. The second call was made a week later by a computerized female who articulated well in spoken English. It warned me not to ignore the call. Then it left a number for me to call back. The call-back number was 202 506 9529.

Scammers pretending to be IRS or DEA agents are making cold calls to commit fraud against law abiding US citizens or immigrants. The scam is the threat of immenent arrest if alleged "unreported income" are not paid. The prospective victims are warned not to ignore the call, and he is given an area code 202 number to call back, or press "1" to connect to an agent to resolve the question at hand by negotiating a settlement.

All such calls and call-back numbers are purportedly made from the Washington DC with area code 202. The scammers are trying to create the impression the calls are authentic and serious because they are originated from Washington DC, the federal government hub. If an intended victim calls back to a referred 202 area code number, he already has one foot in the snare by starting with paying for the long distance call to DC.

What the prospective victim did not know is all these area code 202 numbers are connected through phone cards' access numbers. That is, these are pre-paid mobile phone booths where the scammers' own phone numbers are not traceable by ordinary means.

Here is a fact you can take to the bank (pun): No bureaucracy can function without paperwork including a referenced case number. Further, bona fide federal agencies such as IRS or DEA do not make cold calls by hashing out a negotiated amount of money to "make things right."

Here is the link where the all federal government agency contact information including area code 202 phone numbers, if applicable, are listed

http://www.usa.gov/Site-Index/index.shtml

The thing to do is ask the calling "officer" to confirm his or her name, position, and the represented agency. Don't forget to ask for your case case number AND to have that caller send you an official letter stating he or she has talked with you on the phone about the referenced case number. And toward the end of the conversation (which you should be in control through out), tell that crook, "this conversation is being recorded for obvious legal reasons." Tell that person, you will call the agency to follow-up on "your case". Then disconnect the call.

By the way, the scammers had used the same call-back phone number (202 506 9529) on other people before me.


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