Posted on 10/27/2016 7:13:55 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The Department of Justice on Thursday charged 61 people for their role in a call center scam.
Federal prosecutors charged 61 individuals and entities across the world Thursday in connection to a transnational call center operation that investigators say scammed United States residents out of millions. The arrests follow a three-year joint investigation between the Department of Justice, Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), and the US Treasury Inspector General of Tax Administration.
NBC Bay Area first reported on these scams where a caller posing as a federal agent threatens the person on the other line with arrests, lawsuits or worse, if they do not pay up.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie Caldwell called Thursday’s arrests a major breakthrough.
“This is the first ever multi-jurisdictional enforcement action targeting the Indian call center scam industry,” Caldwell said.
Twenty people were arrested in eight states throughout the country. Another 32 people were busted in India, where this operation was based. Several suspects are still at large, including a man who was last seen in Oakland.
Federal agents believe the number of victims exceeds 10,000 and the amount of money lost is in the hundreds of millions.
“They laundered money using prepaid debit cards using info from id theft victims,” Caldwell said.
Even with Thursday’s crackdown, federal agents believe there are many other operations using this same telephone threatening technique to get people to send them money.
That’s why they are putting out brochures, warning everyone that federal agents will never call demanding money.
Everyone in our family has gotten the call. Two ALMOST fell for it before others informed them it was a scam.
People sent hundreds of millions to these scammers? No wonder Hillary is getting any votes.
Of course, the DoJ didn't bother until someone tried to impersonate the IRS.
The IRS doesn't want the competition.
I have had them call a couple times. I love talking to them. I act like a real old guy and about five minutes into the conversation I blow a loud whistle into the phone. Good Times.
Someone called one of my employees at work not long ago, claiming that he had underpaid taxes, and that if he didn’t pay up within the next two hours, a warrant would be issued for his arrest.
My employee said that it sounded plausible at first, but the fact that the person had a heavy accent but gave a typical American name tipped him off to the scam.
It could have been one of this ring. I’m glad it’s been busted, and sorry for the people who were taken in by it.
The call I received from the bay area indicated a case had already been filed against me, and that I either paid up “NOW” or else.
I’m sure some folks get intimidated. It was out of the blue, and I wasn’t aware the IRS would never call someone.
I looked around and Googled the phone number from the caller, and sure enough others were getting the same scam calls.
I’ve had about three calls like that one.
It is unbelievable that the banks don't know where the money is going.
My favorite one is where the caller says “May God have mercy on your soul” near the end. Had it 5 times in a year.
Then I was sure they are not from the IRS because the IRS believes they are bigger than God.
Call centers in Pakistan are players in this and the microsoft scam as well.
They left a message. My wife freaked out. Took a couple hours to calm her.
They also do it via robocall with a threatening message from the IRS to call an 800#.
They have left many, many, many messages on my answering machine though.
I told them “not again, I get law suits from them every year”. They hung up.
is this the scam where they call you up and say the IRS is going to arrest you or some such crap?.....it is scary...
I signed up for a service that is free and blocks these calls. It is called something like nomorobo.
PFL
About time. These types of scams using overseas phone banks should be an ongoing target of US law enforcement efforts. Many elderly people are victimized.
About time the tards at FEDGOV have tried to stop these SHRILLARY STYLE con artists.
These crooks have probably conned HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of REAL AMERICAN CITIZENS out of cash.
I have gotten dozens of these calls from some Caribbean sounding scumbag saying he was from the IRS, my go to is to tell them I was FBI and needed them to give me their duty station and ID right away.
Most of the time they just laughed and told me to go EFF myself, shows the respect they have for FEDGOV.
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