You may have heard about the recent arrests involving IRS scammers. Dozens of people were finally held accountable here and in India where call centers were raided.
But has that made an impact on the number of people getting calls? The indictment is full of interesting information about how the scam worked.
Click here to read the government indictment.
It talks about how 1,500 Magic Jack numbers that were bought by these guys, and it details how those people were sucked into the scam.
The scam was even more successful than I thought.
The indictment talks of more than $250 million dollars gained by these clowns over the last few years. The arrests are great news. I didn't think it would have much impact on the number of calls.
So far, I am wrong.
Felicia Thompson with the Better Business Bureau says their scamtracker site used to get 200 IRS call complaints a week. That total is down to 11.
I checked the Let Joe Know calls and emails. We used to get dozens of similar complaints weekly. Since October 6th, when it was announced the call centers were raided, we've had just one complaint.
What does this mean for you?
Well, my guess is there are many others involved and they are laying low. This was such a successful scam for so long, it will be back, maybe in a new form. So, continue letting your landline calls go to voicemail.
And remember, the IRS and the government, never threaten you for not paying a past bill.
Need my help?
"Like" the Let Joe Know Facebook page and tell me about the issue there.
The Assistance League of Phoenix volunteers are solving consumer problems and saving you money everyday. You can call them at 1-855-323-1515 or send an email.
You can also follow us on Twitter. Check out the latest scams we're seeing. Sign up for our monthly email newsletter by clicking here.
AND WE NEED YOUR HELP! If you want to be a volunteer and help other consumers, let me know.
