FIVE PEOPLE WITH SOUTH
FLORIDA CONNECTION FACE FIVE
CHARGES IN A IRS SCAM.
THEY ARE ACCUSED OF CALLING
THEIR VICTIM, TELLING THEM THAT
THEY ARE WITH THE IRS, AND
DEMANDING THAT THEY PAY TAX
DEBTS.
INVESTIGATORS SAY THAT EACH
CASE THEY HAVE TAUGHT THEIR
VICTIMS INTO WIRING CASH UNDER
THE PRESUMPTION IT WAS GOING TO
THE IRS.
TAX FRAUD SCAMS LIKE THAT ONE
ARE UNFOLDING ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY COMBINED, IT IS
CONSIDERED THE LARGEST TAX
FRAUD SCAMS IN UNITED STATES
HISTORY.
IN SOME CASES, THEY ARE GEARING
UP AS THEY WARN YOU TO CALL
BACK OR ELSE.
OUR CHIEF EXECUTOR DID CALL
BACK DIGGING THROUGH TO REVEAL
THE FRAUD OF THE OPERATIONS.
MS. LAWSON, -- WILSON, IS
THIS THE IRS?
FOR FOUR WEEKS, WE HAVE BEEN
ON THE HUNT.
IS RINGING.
TO OPEN UP A LARGELY
INVISIBLE WORLD.
THANK YOU FOR CALLING, HOW
MAY I HELP YOU?
TRACING CLOSE TO FIND THOSE
FRAUD.
THE IRS IS FILING LAWSUITS
AGAINST YOU.
TERRIFIED TAXPAYERS A MIAMI.
THE MESSAGE WAS TELLING ME
THAT I SHOULD CALL IMMEDIATELY
AND GET IN TOUCH WITH -- WITHIN
24 HOURS.
OR THEY WOULD TAKE LEGAL ACTION.
I REALLY GOT VERY SCARED.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THESE
CALLS, IS THAT THEY ARE
AGGRESSIVE AND THREATENING.
MICHAEL, IS WITH THE IRS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED.
WE HAVE HAD ABOUT 285 VICTIMS
THAT HAVE PAID OUT MORE THAN
$1.6 MILLION.
KIM THE
-- THEY HAVE BEEN CALLED
HUNDREDS OF TIMES.
THIS FLORIDA RESIDENT WAS
AFRAID TO SHOW HER FACE.
I AM CALLING FROM THE UNIT
-- TAX INVESTIGATION UNIT.
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE HAS
ISSUED ARREST WARRANTS.
THE CALL BACK NUMBER.
AND EFFORTS BEGIN TO FIND
OUT WHO MAY BE AT THE OTHER END
OF THAT NUMBER.
WE DIDN'T COUGH -- WE THEN
CROSS-REFERENCED THAT NUMBER.
YES, MY NAME IS MICHELLE AND
I AM CALLING THIS NUMBER TO SEE
IF THIS IS THE IRS APPROVED TAX
SCHOOL.
HELLO?
HELLO HOW MAY I HELP YOU?
THEY ANSWERED, BUT A HANGUP
WHEN I ASKED ABOUT TAX SCHOOL.
WHAT'S INTERESTING, IS WHAT
YOU SEE HERE, IT HAS THE IRS
INSIGNIA.
A PERSON THAT I CAN TELL, THAT
IS A FAKE.
WE DO NOT ENDORSE PARTICULAR
COMPANIES.
THEY LED US TO THIS MIAMI
SCHOOL.
STRANGE.
THEY SAID IT'S A BOX COMPANY.
IS THIS THE INCOME TAX
SCHOOL?
WE MET THE OWNER OF THIS
PROPERTY.
ON THEIR WEBSITE THEY SAY
THAT THEY HAD TAX SCHOOLS
INCLUDING MIAMI.
AND THE PICTURE OF YOUR
FACILITY IS ON THERE. IT'S
THE SAME -- SAME PICTURE? YES.
I CALLED BACK, THE
THANK YOU FOR CALLING.
YES, I WOULD LIKE TO RECORD
THIS CALL, IS THIS THE IRS?
YES.
ARE YOU THE IRS SCHOOL?
NO.
CAN I MAKE IN IRS PAYMENT?
YES.
WE CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO
LEAVE MESSAGES.
THE ADDRESS OF THE SCHOOL TURNS
OUT TO BE THIS DROP.
MEANWHILE, THE IRS SAYS THAT
IT IS TOUGH TO PULL BACK THE
VEIL OF TRACING PHONE NUMBERS
THAT MAY BE TIED TO FRAUDSTERS
WITH OR WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE
OF COMPANIES, SCHOOLS, PERSONS,
AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
IN SOME CASES THEY HAVE
APPEARED ON THE IDEA.
IF YOU RECEIVE A PHONE CALL, --
THE IDEA.
IF YOU RECEIVE A PHONE CALL,
THEY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO NOT
ENGAGE IN CONVERSATIONS.
THEY WILL NEVER CALL AND DEMAND
AN IMMEDIATE PAYMENT.
OR THREATENED TO HAVE THE
POLICE COME AND DOWN -- AND
ARREST YOU.
IF YOU WANT TO REPORT A CALL,
DO IT, GO TO CBSMIAMI.COM .
THEY NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE