Last month saw a surge in the number of IRS telephone scams being reported. Across every state, criminals claiming to be from the IRS have been threatening to take legal action if outstanding debts are not settled immediately.
Although there has been an increase in IRS telephone scams in recent weeks, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, which investigates IRS scams, estimates that since October 2013, Americans have lost more than $44 million to these types of scams.
However, there is a growing trend towards Americans taking back control of their telephones and sending a firm message to scammers. Calling blocking specialists, CPR Call Blocker, have reported an increase in sales of its call blocking products by 150% this year, thanks to consumers facing up to the problem of unwanted calls.
CPR Call Blocker’s own research into scam calls echoes what is currently happening across the country. A YouGov study commissioned by the company showed that 11% of Americans have been the victim of a telephone scam, with 20% of those having lost between $500 and $10,000. The most common scam to affect the victims was fraudulent calls from those claiming to be from the IRS.
Kris Hicks of CPR Call Blocker comments: “Scam calls are a major problem but we are encouraged by the fact that so many people are finding a solution to the problem through purchasing call blocking technology.
“Almost nine in ten Americans receive unwanted phone calls each month. While adding your number to the Do Not Call Register and being careful where you share your personal data will eliminate some of these calls, it cannot stop callers from outside of the US contacting you.
“Our research showed that 60% of Americans receive repeated calls from the same organization despite telling them to stop. The great thing about call blockers is that it permanently blocks numbers from getting through to you again so you can’t be targeted by the same person twice.”
CPR Call Blocker is urging consumers to be aware of the current IRS scam and to follow their guidance to consumers, reassuring them that initial contact regarding tax payments will always be through the mail.
CPR Call Blockers are available from www.cprcallblockerusa.com