When Kayla Saunders of Syracuse, Utah saw a phone caller from an out of state caller, she was hesitant to answer. However, when they left a message saying they were the IRS and she was in trouble, she began to panic. We’ve previously reported on a number of IRS scams and related bookkeeping scams but this one truly takes the cake.
To see more of the IRS bookkeeping scam, watch this video
On Wednesday, May 25 of this year, it all started with a phone call to Saunder’s cell phone. She didn’t answer, and the callers left a message alleging they were with the Internal Revenue Service who told her she was being audited. It scared her enough to call back.
When she connected with the caller, they threatened her with an arrest if she didn’t pay off what the alleged IRS allegedly said she owed. In fact, when she looked out the window of her home, Saunders saw a white car that looked very much like an official police vehicle with tinted windows and a light bar on top.
The caller then claimed that she owed a large amount of money in taxes, but he ultimately lowered the amount to one she could more easily and readily get her hands on.
“I don’t usually answer phone call from out of state, they were claiming they were the IRS,” said Kayla Saunders to a reporter from a local television station. “I was being audited and told ‘you are going to be taken to jail within 30 to 45 minutes if you don’t comply.’ Then there was a cop car sitting in front of my house. It scared me enough to act.”
She then packed her children into her family vehicle and drove to the nearest Walgreen’s as requested by the caller with the “police vehicle” trailing her the whole time.
“The fact that I was being followed definitely threw me for a loop. It was definitely stressful. As a mother, your first instinct is to do what you can to make sure your kids are safe,” continued Saunders.
After obtaining a $500 iTunes gift card, she read the information on the card back to the caller, who continued to threaten that she would be arrested if she hung up, even though she had her doubts. The police vehicle then left, and she reported to the crime to the Syracuse Police Department.
They confirmed that the police vehicle and caller were in no way affiliated with their department and immediately opened an investigation.
How to Avoid an IRS Bookkeeping Scam
There are number things one can do when confronted with a scary IRS bookkeeping scam, but when confronted with one like this, we agree with Detective Erin Behm of the Syracuse PD who said, “The IRS is not going to call you on the phone, and they are certainly not going to ask you to pay a bill with an iTunes gift card.”
Some other tips to avoid these kinds of scams.
- If there is a police vehicle or any other unknown threatening vehicle outside of your home, CALL THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY to confirm that this is one of their own.
- If they do not confirm this is an official police vehicle, DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE.
- If they do not confirm this is an official police vehicle, tell them you need an actual police vehicle to get to your home as soon as possible.
- If you can do so without leaving the home, jot down the license plate number of the car and take as many pictures as you can.
- Remember, the IRS does not make an initial contact for an audit, tax discrepancy, or any other issue via a phone call. They will always mail a letter first to make the initial contact, and you can confirm the document is actually from the IRS by contacting them using their actual contact info, not the one on the letter.
- You are under no obligation to speak to any actual IRS agent over the phone, so feel free to hang up or not return calls from anyone claiming to be with the IRS and be sure to report them.
IRS Bookkeeping Scam Professional in Houston
If you live in Houston or the surrounding area and are concerned you may be the victim of a bookkeeping scam, send us an email or give us a call at 281-894-6494.