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Received this message last year from a female caller who identified herself as an IRS officer investigating a possible fraud charge on my income taxes.  This year the voice is that of a male who identifies himself as Jonathsn Knight and gives his badge number.  It is obviously a fraud since I have already received my refund and have never had a problem.  These calls are annoying and hopefully can be stopped.

Waseca sheriff: Watch out for phony IRS calls

Updated: 5:39 pm, Wed Feb 4, 2015.

   Suzy Rook
   Posted on Feb 4, 2015

   by Suzy Rook

The Waseca County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents about a phone scam from callers claiming to represent the Internal Revenue Service.

During the calls, residents have reported that the caller says they’re an IRS representative, and that the victim either is involved in a lawsuit or owes large sums of money

The IRS sends notifications in the mail and does not make phone calls. Anyone receiving a call like this should simply hang up, advises the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota.

People contacted by these scammers say the callers are abusive and threaten arrest or even deportation if alleged tax debts are not paid immediately — usually via wire transfer or prepaid debit cards, according to the BBB. Others have received voicemail messages stating they must contact the IRS immediately. Some messages have claimed to be from the U.S. Marshals, threatening arrest if alleged tax debts are not paid in full.

“If anybody asks you for personal information, hang up on them,” said Waseca County Sheriff Brad Milbrath, who added that one of his deputies received such a call.

The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration estimates that 1.6 million Americans were victims of tax-related identity theft and refund scams in the first six months of 2013, an increase from 1.2 million in all of 2012, according to the state Attorney General’s office.

The BBB warns that scammers are utilizing technology to alter the information appearing on caller ID, so it may look as though a call is originating locally or from the IRS, when in fact the call is fraudulent.

The IRS website states they will never:

• Call to demand immediate payment, nor will they call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.

• Threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

• Demand payment without giving people the opportunity to question or appeal the debt in question.

• Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.

• Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

The IRS also doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. This includes requests for PIN numbers, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.

If you receive a fraudulent IRS phone calls, BBB recommends you:

• Hang up – Don’t provide any information over the phone. Call the IRS directly using the phone number found on their website or in the phone book.

• Protect your personal information – Never give out any personal or financial information over the phone. This includes your Social Security number.

• Contact the FCC – Let the Federal Communications Commission know about ID spoofing by calling 1-888-CALL-FCC or file a complaint at www.fcc.gov/complaints.

• Contact the FTC – File a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint.

Milbrath recommends residents remain cautious if they receive calls asking for personal information or offering something that seems to good to be true.

He also asks victims and potential victims of scams to report the incidents to law enforcement so media outlets can be alerted if necessary and future scams can be stopped.

IRS Scam - Indian with broken English claiming to be IRS agent, Jonathan Knight (He is a New Kid on the Block by the way).  I told him I knew it was the IRS scam and I had already reported them and he hung up on me.

Same caller. Sounds like a Mid east accent identifies himself as an IRS agent telling me I defrauded the government out of taxes. When I questioned him on it he hung up.

This was an automated robocall saying there was some sort of fraud and misconduct reported about me and my "tax"  and I must return the call, and it was a very urgent matter.  The robot voice said his name was Jonathan Knight from the IRS and he had a foreign accent and it was clearly a recording.

yes! Jonathan Knight. IRS scam.

Just got a scam call to from the same Jonathan...just hung up on them

Got the call today.   Johnathan Knight badge #46719.  Didn't say who the call was for and didn't leave a call back number.

Call from "Steve Martin" stating he was with the IRS.  Had Stockton PD call the number back and the person on the line (Ross Vincent) stated that his phone had been hacked and that he was with a paper company.  Total scam...he was the same voice on a number of mesages.  The PD stated that they would pass this along to the IRS fraud dept and have the number coned or shut down if more complaints come.  Please report this number if you get any type of call so the carrier will be forced to shut the phone number down.

Received identical call today from individual identifying himself as Jonathan Knight with badge # 06719 - spoke with an Indian accent. These scumbags are preying on people, especially the elderly, but obviously little is being done to stop them.

I just got the same recorded call stating it was Jonathan Knight and his badge number, stating he was with IRS and I was hiding something.  SCAM. I had just receive another call an hour and a half before from 585-310-3870 from a Barbara Herrick (recording also) stating from IRS and to call back.  SCAM SCAM

Received same call from same guy today. Thanks for posting, that's how I knew it was scam.

claims to be an IRS agent Jhonathen Knight and is investigating a fraudulent tax return

Got a call from this number- from everything I read I sm pretty happy I did not pick up the phone.
I read people was getting fake calls saying they was from the IRS.
To funny . This is a child number under the age of 14 number. Why would the IRS OR A FAKE IRS want anything to do with me?
I am a child.
Next time they try to call I'll give the police number and say it's my pas rents number
Thank for posting this information

I received the very same call today by Jonathan Knight.  I called back and talked with Ray Parker.  Said that I had defrauded the IRS and that I owed 25,000.00.  All I could do was laugh at this man, as I received my tax return as well.  The funniest thing is, I just happen the know the Head of the IRS Division in VA who happens to be a very close friend of mine.  I told Mr. Parker, or who the hell he was) that I would settle this right now and call my friend in VA and get this settled.  At that moment he hung up on me.  This is without a doubt a scam. Now, what does that tell you.  And I really do know the Head of the IIRS in VA.

This is the second year I am getting this call!  Same person, same call, over and over.  Is there someone who cares, that can do anything about this?

Got a call from this person who claims to be from IRS once i told him he was a scam he hang up on me. Hope people dont fall on his lies and the authorities stop his act

This Indian, accent speaking moron (I know:  250,000 call center jobs left the US between 2001 - 2003 to go overseas) claimed to be an IRS agent along with giving out a badge number.  I didn't know IRS agent were so upfront about their badge numbers!  Does he do winders and MS tech support at the same time?

Got a call from these d-bags pretending to be the irs. Same guy; johnathan knight badge #46719. Too bad I missed the call and it went to voicemail because I would have enjoyed pranking this idiot.

Ya'll be careful out there.

Caller claimed to be jonathan Knight call ID displayed as "revenue servicing"  He stated that he was with US treasury IRS. I said which one is it treasury or IRS?? He said "IRS". I then said Where do you wok at?" and he said DC. I said "DC area code is 202 so you just proved to me that you are a total crook"  I then said "Your name is not Jonathan at all,your name is Hadji and you are a  crook and a Thief" I said "You are a complete and total failure ut if you try you might still amount to something in life.  He didn't like that and hung up. I called back 3 times but could not get through so they must have blocked me from calling back.