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How I fell face first for an epic IRS scam"
I received a call on my home phone recently from someone who identified himself as Officer Jason Dean with the Investigative Bureau of the Department of Treasury. He said an arrest warrant had been issued in my name for failure to respond to IRS Notice CP503 — a third reminder — informing me that I owed $5,347 in back taxes. He said my home and cell phones were being traced and I should not attempt to leave the city.
"That's ridiculous," I said, "I never received any notices."
"That is not my concern," he replied. "We're only calling you as a courtesy to inform you that you will be arrested and charged with failure to meet federal taxation requirements, malicious conduct, and theft by deception. You will be arrested within the next two hours and held in custody for six months pending an investigation."
And just like that, I was caught in what has become the biggest tax scam in American history.
I called upstairs to my teenage son and told him to call his other mother and tell her to come home. Then I got back on the phone and asked for more details, trying to prove to myself I could dismiss this as a hoax. I asked for the address they had for me. (He had it right.) I asked for the tax year this issue allegedly stemmed from. (2011.) I asked for my Social Security number. (He said he was not permitted to give this over the phone.)
I usually do my own taxes, and I am never completely confident that I get it right. Just a few months ago, I had received notice that I owed about $700 in back taxes for income I'd forgotten to include on my 2013 return. More recently, I filed my 2014 taxes, hoping I'd done them right. But 2011? I couldn't even remember what I'd reported.
But the man on the phone was done talking. He repeated that I must not leave the area, or I would be charged with evading the police. Then he prepared to hang up.
"Wait," I said. "This has to be a mistake. If I owed back taxes, I would pay back taxes."
He paused and asked, "Can you tell me truthfully you have the intention to pay any taxes you owe?"
"Yes, of course," I said.
He said he could transfer me to another unit that might be able to help. But, he warned, they don't have to. (It sounded ridiculous but I wasn't quibbling.) (read the whole thing)
