Tax Filing Season Means Lawsuit Scams by Phone

 

Oh my. Tis the season and Tax Filing Season Means Lawsuit Scams by Phone. At least it starts to pick up this time of year in the US. Unfortunately because these types of calls keep coming there must be a level of success or these cowardly mental midgets wouldn’t continue their lowlife careers as thieving human excrement. Um, not lawyers, the phone scammers. Yes, I was told last night that I have a criminal lawsuit against me.

What, again? Get in line jackass.

lawsuit scams Actually their bad news came to me via a phone message. We were out enjoying ourselves when the call came. It wouldn’t matter if we were home anyway. We don’t answer any calls we don’t recognize the name or number. Not only because of the lawsuit scams but political or other surveys, sales callers who violate our do not call list status, or people I just don’t want to waste my time talking to at that moment. They can leave a message if it is important. Most junk-callers just hang up (thank goodness, life is too short) but evidently the callers associated to lawsuit scams feel they have an edge and believe leaving a phone message will work for them.

How to Recognize Lawsuit Scams – The Clues

I have had all kinds of attempted Lawsuit Scams leaving messages of my pending doom if I don’t take immediate action. Most have a tone of authority and some a thick foreign accent. Lots of easily recognized accents from near and far speaking semi-correct English. Last night’s and one other attempt to separate me from my money now or later with identity fraud have used a female computer generated voice.

Oh boy, the thieving human excrement of the world are moving up in their use of technology to try to hide behind. Good for them.

Most of the calls mention the IRS or US Treasury as the source of my legal trouble. One was related to collection actions. Last night was different. It left out specifics about who was suing me or for what.

Here is a word-for-word transcript of my message in their feeble Lawsuit Scam attempt.

See if you can see any clues to identify this as a scam call.

 “This is in reference to a criminal lawsuit filed against you. Your case number is TF79621. The moment you receive this message I need you or your retained attorney of records to return the call to me. The issue at hand is extremely time sensitive. My phone number is 202-800-5582. I repeat it, 202-800-5582. Don’t disregard this message and do return the call now. If you don’t return the call and I don’t hear from your attorney either, then the only thing I can do is wish you a good luck as the situation unfolds on you.”

  • First off, I found the whole thing entertaining. There are some obvious issues with the message and phrasing that any US Government or US lawyer would not have used on any computer voice generated message. The computer generated message would have been completely edited for official and correct wording.
  • Second, they never mentioned my or my wife’s name. Whose case number is that for? They should certainly know who they are contacting and specify it in the message if this was legit.
  • Third, leaving a phone message is NOT a legitimate way for anyone to claim in court that you have been officially notified of lawsuit. Generally it must be by Personal delivery to you as the defendant; Delivery to someone else at your usual residence or place of business; or Service by mail coupled with acknowledgment of receipt.
  • Fourth, WTH is a criminal lawsuit? You can be sued in civil court as a lawsuit or be charged by a government entity as a criminal where if found guilty they would decide if there are any fines, imprisonment, or restitution to be paid.

Telltale Signs of Lawsuit Scams

First off, the IRS doesn’t call you. They do everything through snail mail. You have to call them. As for the phoned in attempts, not all lawsuit scams will come to us with crazy phrasing or thick hard to understand foreign accents. Many people from other parts of the world do work for legitimate attorneys, collection agencies, and our government so that isn’t an indicator on its own. Also our home countries produces their fair share of scum bags. Since you can’t smell the excrement in their breath you have to figure out lawsuit scams that come by phone using some of the following indicators.

The caller doesn’t know who they are calling.

In my above example there was no mention of who they intended to contact. My daughter had a friend who used my telephone number as her contact and years later when collection attorneys were looking for her they left messages. They would always say this is a call for “name” and then state they need to call them back in regards to case XYZ.

If you answer the phone and they immediately ask whom they are speaking to instead of asking for you by name then I always make a name up. If the call is legit they will ask for the person they need to speak with. If they start right off going after the name you made up then Scam alert bells should ring. I have picked up a call like this when I answered call waiting. Lucky me. I had to hold back my laughter as they aggressively threatened fictitious Mike Hunt with a lawsuit.

The caller asks you for information they should already know.

If you are being called they should know things. Know your name, address, etc. I was called by someone claiming to be from my medical insurance company. Duped again into answering because of bad timing. They knew my name, my address, my phone number, knew who I was using for medical insurance (lucky guess?) and even the last four digits of my Social Security number.

I was hooked but for one little thing. They then asked for my Group ID and Policy number details. I said I think you should know that and I am uncomfortable telling … Boom they hung up and moved on to their next potential victim. Bugs the hell out of me that they knew the last 4 digits of my social security number.

The caller is overly pushy, abusive, and threatening.

There is usually some level of these attributes with legitimate lawyers, their staff or collection agents. You do feel it when you encounter it over the phone. With lawsuit scammers it is usually heavy with threats of an immediate lawsuit or that they are contacting law enforcement and your arrest is imminent. These are sure signs of lawsuit scams. Intimidation and bullying you to do their demands through false threats is their primary scam tool.

The caller DEMANDS immediate payment or personal identity information.

This is always a dead giveaway. Once again, they should know what they need to know and even if they demand more information they should know that you don’t have to give them anything. Demanding immediate money or personal information details or a lawsuit will be filed or threaten you with arrest is another sure sign of scam. That isn’t how it works in the legal world. If the caller demands that payment be made specifically over the phone using your credit card number or demands you buy a cash debit card to give them that number then bingo, you have yourself a real life scam being attempted.

What to do Once You Have Been Targeted by a Scammer

Never give anyone who calls you your personal or financial information.

Especially if they are aggressively pushing you and/or threatening immediate arrest or a lawsuit if you don’t comply with them.

Always look at the calling number and name if provided but don’t trust it.

We don’t answer calls when we don’t recognize the caller. However the caller ID may not be correct as sophisticated crooks can spoof the calling number. Just the same way an incoming email can have a bogus but legitimate looking address. I had a call come in with a 202-803-XXXX number saying it was from the IRS on my caller ID but it was one of these scam callers.

I have heard where calls will come in showing from your bank, credit union or health insurance provider to add credibility to their scam.

Do a Web Search on any incoming number that leaves threatening legal messages.

Usually when you complete a search other people have reported it as a scam.

Just because nothing comes up in the search doesn’t mean it’s a legit call but it sure does show a scam if there is nothing but complaints about it.

Don’t call back the number that called you or was left as a call back number.

If a message was left and they mention who is originating the so-called lawsuit against you, the IRS, Local Law Enforcement, Federal Authorities, Collection agency, etc. then look up their official number and call that instead if you are not sure if it is a scam call.

If you are certain it is a scam call.

If you are dealing with a phone message then have a laugh as I did and just don’t engage. In other words don’t call them back. If you answered the phone but find your scam senses going berserk just hang-up, laugh, or mess with them if you feel like it.

In my experiences they always immediately hang up the instant they get the sense you aren’t scared or intimidated. They just see you then as a lost cause for their little scam and go after the next person.

Report It To the Authorities.

If they claim they represent the IRS you can report them to the IRS and the FTC. It is a big no-no to misrepresent yourself as a government official. Same when they say they are local law enforcement. Report it. I did call my local police when I got an obvious lawsuit scam phone call threatening arrest. They just said they had received a lot of reports and are investigating. My guess is the call back number is not one that can be easily traced back.

In Closing

Sadly the scum suckers must have some success with their lawsuit scams because they keep doing it.

I have had 7 different attempts over the past 2 years. There is always someone in the world trying to separate us from our hard-earned money or looking for a free ride on our identity.

Never allow a phone caller to intimidate or frighten you into giving them your personal information or financial information.

Never feel like you have to succumb to their demands for immediate payment of money or immediate personal information to avoid arrest or issuance of a lawsuit. That is not how it works.

Have you ever been the target of lawsuit scams or other high pressure scams over the phone?