Call center scams wherein callers identify themselves as IRS officials seeking allegedly unpaid taxes from call victims have been ongoing for years. This scam is particularly devastating to elders as many individuals have fallen victim to this prevalent and heinous act of financial elder abuse. Fortunately, 70 people in New Delhi, India were recently arrested in relation to the IRS phone scam, as reported by ABC. According to the ABC report, the scam was averaging about $150,000 a day in returns—and some $55 million in one year—for just one call center, as con artists abroad targeted Americans by phone. Thankfully, many of the operation’s ringleaders were arrested by Indian police officials, and are likely to face charges of extortion, impersonation, and violations of a host of Indian information technology laws. In addition, at least 600 people are being questioned in relation to these call center scams, after a raid on the center yielded a massive amount of potential evidence, including hundreds of hard drives, hard disks, servers, and other equipment. As the result, Indian police have said that many more of these scammers are likely to be charged with various crimes. Telemarketing scams are some of the most commonly used tactics to victimize elders in Southern California and around the country. The IRS has addressed the pervasiveness of these scams, warning Americans that the IRS will never call and demand any sort of immediate payment, nor will it require that you pay by gift card, prepaid debit card, credit card, or otherwise over the phone. Any call wherein the caller identifies themselves as the IRS and demands money is patently fraudulent, and no one should ever give out sensitive personal information by phone. Furthermore, victims should report any fraudulent or aggressive callers at the IRS scam reporting webpage, found here. If you or a loved one has been the target of a phone scam, don’t let your financial health be put at risk. Be aware and advise loved ones, particularly elders, to be wary of telemarketing scams. Though justice may soon be served in the case of the 70 call center con artists arrested in New Delhi, the danger of phone scams intending to commit financial elder abuse still exists for seniors in San Diego and throughout the nation. As a reminder, the best way to avoid falling victim to a senior telemarketing scam is to be aware of the dangers and to safeguard any sensitive financial or identifying information. Walton Law, APC is a San Diego boutique law firm dedicated exclusively to representing injured parties in the areas of personal injury, nursing home abuse and neglect, and financial elder abuse. We only represent people – not insurance companies – and take pride in our reputation for obtaining full and fair compensation for our clients while providing personalized client service. If you believe somebody you know has been a victim of elder abuse in San Diego, CA, please call (866) 338-7079, or contact us online for a free and confidential consultation.
Fighting Financial Abuse: Police Arrest Dozens at Call Center Linked to IRS Scam