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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 26, 2014 - 03:41pm PT
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Ensconced in my loft atelier, I overheard my wife burst into tears.
She confronted me with the welcome news that, unless we anted up more than our net income for last year, the IRS would freeze our assets (big deal); imprison the two of us in the Bastille, revoke our drivers licenses, etc.,etc.
She wigged, understandably.
Thank God for feminine intuition; her suspicious were, like most wife's: reflex. And for a quick fix to steady my nerves.
One of the scariest scams of late is the IRS collections. Please do Google this topic, on your own.
After steadying my nerves thusly, I did indeed return the ph#. I was answered by an individual, who needs yet to work on his East Indian accent. 1st return call calm w/wife on duplicate speaker resulted in a hang-up. I soled the 2nd call: respondent wished to known who was calling. “It's on your caller ID.” Oh, yes!” “What is your name?” Would you spell that, please?” “And your IRS ID #?” “55721055”
“Okay, sir...now, what is my ss#?”
“...well, sir, let me check... “
“FLICK YOU! ...klick!”
(NYC tacos of a certain age might remember a Village performer named Jean Shepard, occasional Playboy contributor, most definitely a collaborator, for us carded jd's) (Taking his advice to carve this graffito into the PS8 school bench in front of me, it took years for me to ununstan' why jo'moma was called to defend me in front of my 8th grade teacha. But, that's what you get for letting a 13 yr old run around Manhattan unsupervised – but I digress, as usual) (Actually, a 16 yr old, traveling back to Bronxville from SF on Dad's employee TWA passes, w/ 20$ in his pocket, to return w/ 15$ after 2 wks in NYC would make for a fair TR) (I'll bet only the Ruth Gorge team even knows where Bronxville is located)
I used to have a cassette recording of a busy office typing background, which I'd played for grins; not for criminal intent as a con. I busted him. Guys and Gals, it's scary out there. We moved way off the Grid; it's followed us here.
< >< = phishing; it evades robo-cyber polc, so please be aware that one of the most dangerous scams going is a false i<r<s collections scam.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jun 26, 2014 - 03:47pm PT
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Since when does the IRS cold call you? Having received plenty of
correspondence from them trust me when I tell you that they will always
write first, if only because it generates a paper trail and hence more
bureaucracy.
Tell yer wife to think like a bureaucrat. ;-)
Now, where the hell is my new passport? I know, prolly in Nigeria.
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jstan
climber
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Jun 26, 2014 - 03:48pm PT
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If you are able to remember the password to your IRS account you can pull it up and see if there is any unpaid balance. While spam callers leave no ID, I would report it to the IRS. They may be able to detect a pattern.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Jun 26, 2014 - 05:06pm PT
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Blame the Democrats.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Jun 26, 2014 - 05:22pm PT
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The IRS won't ask you for your Social Security Number because THEY ALREADY HAVE IT.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
mammoth lakes ca
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Jun 26, 2014 - 08:38pm PT
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Kabala...Next time tell him his plans are almost stamped and ask for his Master Card #...RJ
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couchmaster
climber
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Jun 27, 2014 - 11:07am PT
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Old news but still mostly valid, see number 10 below from this link: (copy/pasted in it's entirety)
http://famguardian.org/TaxFreedom/Instructions/3.1ProtectPrivacy.htm
"Privacy and the law are the only protections you have for your freedom and liberty. The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects our right to privacy by preventing unlawful search and seizure of our possessions. However, in the event that those protections are blatantly and illegally violated by the IRS, it always makes sense to take preemptive measures to protect your privacy from unwanted intrusion should any of your information or possessions unwittingly or unexpectedly get into the "hostile" hands of a socialist lawbreaking extortionist of the IRS. Below are a few practical ideas to help you accomplish this goal:
1. Computer setup:
1.1. Add a password to your computer’s BIOS (Basic Input Output System). This way, people cannot tamper with the boot setup of your machine or even boot it up without having a password.
1.2. Boot your computer into the BIOS screen, and set the computer to boot ONLY from the hard disk and to not check the floppy drive. This way, people cannot boot from a floppy drive and use a DOS program to inspect and unsecure your machine.
1.3. Use Windows NT 2000 rather than Windows 95 or 98. This will ensure that users who want to examine or steal information off your computer will have a MUCH harder time because:
1.3.1. Every user who wants to access information on a Windows 2000 machine must have a user account and an assigned password, or they won't get past the login.
1.3.2. Windows 2000 has a much more refined implementation with better security protections.
1.3.3. Windows 2000 implements file and directory on-the-fly encryption.
1.4. Change the username of your default Windows 2000 “Administrator” to some other name that only you know. Most cyberattacks hit on the “Administrator” or some other privileged and known account and simply iterate until they stumble on the correct password.
1.5. Do not use an account with administrator privileges for your normal work. That way, if you do get infected with a virus during your usual work, the amount of damage the virus can do will be very limited.
1.6. Lock down your Windows 2000 account security: This will prevent hackers from trying to crack in:
1.6.1. Login to your machine using an account that has administrator privileges.
1.6.2. From your desktop select START->RUN and then type in “gpedit.msc” and hit ENTER. The Group Policy Editor window will appear.
1.6.3. In the Local Computer Policy/Computer Configuration/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Account Lockout directory of the Group Policy Editor, make the following security changes:
1.6.3.1. Account lockout threshold=5 invalid logon attempts
(or less depending on your preferences). This will ensure that if someone tries to crack your administrator password from over the Internet, they will be locked for 30 minutes out after 5 tries.
1.6.3.2. Account lockout duration=30 minutes (or more)
1.6.4. In the Local Computer Policy/Computer Configuration/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Password Policy directory of the Group Policy Editor, make the following security changes:
1.6.4.1. Minimum password length=8 characters (or more). Use complex passwords that people can’t guess.
1.7. Buy and install firewall software if your computer is connected to the Internet. An inexpensive and effective product for personal use is the Symantec Personal Firewall, available from http://www.symantec.com.
1.7.1. Train the firewall software to permit only http transfers and disallow all other things, like cookies and Trojan horse backdoors like the SubSeven Trojan.
1.7.2. Have the firewall log all information flow to and from your machine, including web hits.
1.7.3. Scan the log of the firewall at least weekly to determine if your system has had security breaches. Chances are, you have had several Trojan attacks on your system if it is normally connected to the internet and always on, and especially if it is a web server that someone wants to shut down. Look in the firewall log especially for programs on your computer that are transferring unauthorized information about you out of your computer. The most prevalent culprit of this are finance programs, including QuickBooks and Quicken. Watch out! We needed the firewall to shut down these Inuit programs!
1.8. Buy and install antivirus software. An inexpensive and effective product is Symantec Norton Antivirus availabel from http://www.symantec.com/.
1.9. Uninstall or disable a program called Webhancer, which sends information about your web viewing habits to third parties without your knowledge or consent. You can do so by selecting START->SETTINGS->CONTROL PANEL->ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS and then unistalling Webhancer.
1.10. If to have to write down your passwords somewhere, then don’t write them down clear text! Instead, swap certain predetermined digits in the password and make sure you are the only one who knows the scrambling algorithm. Keep your written passwords locked up in a safe place.
1.11. We recommend that you encrypt all finance, property, contact, litigation, and business-related information by putting it in a singe subdirectory. If you righ-click on the directory from within Windows 2000 and look at the properties of that directory, go to the “General tab” and click on the “Advanced” button. Then apply encryption to the directory.
1.12. Ensure that you install a virus checker and keep your virus files up to date at all times. Scan your computer at least weekly. Hackers or IRS agents can email you a virus that snoops on you and sends information about you back to their "electronic eavesdropping" department.
1.13. Most of the time, use a user account on your system that does not have administrator rights. That way, if you accidentally run a virus-infected program that you either downloaded or someone emailed to you, the program won’t install successfully and therefore the damage it can do to your system will be severaly limited.
1.14. DO NOT double-click on or run ANY kind of executable file that anyone emails to you, because this is the most common method for infecting systems with viruses. This includes files with any of the following extensions. These files can install Trojans in your system and corrupt your system so bad that you will have to completely start over:
1.14.1. *.VBS
1.14.2. *.BAT
1.14.3. *.PIF
1.14.4. *.EXE
1.14.5. *.COM
1.15. If you have to install executable programs on your system, do so from only trusted commercial sources using programs provided on CD-ROM.
1.16. Maintain an emergency computer first-aid kit in a zip lock bag in a safe place at all times. This kit should contain your operating system disks, driver disks, and hardware reference manual for your computer, as well as setup parameters, like phone numbers of your ISP, passwords for your ISP access, etc. Use this Computer First-Aid kit in case of emergencies in order to quickly restore your system to fully functional status.
1.17. Backup your computer weekly and keep at least one backup offsite in a secret place in case your computer or hard disk either gets stolen or confiscated. The backup should hopefully be password protected or if the backup media isn’t password protected, it should be locked up for safekeeping.
1.18. If you are running Windows 2000, you also might want to buy a second hard drive that is the same size and preferably the same brand and model number as your original drive. Plug the second hard drive into your computer, reboot, and then use the second drive to create a mirror of your entire computer hard disk using the Computer Management, Disk Management node. After you have mirrored your entire hard drive, take the secondary hard disk and move it offsite somewhere that is not connected with your name or lock it up in a safe place. If your computer ever gets stolen or confiscated by the IRS mafia, then you can go retrieve your hard disk and very quickly be back up and running. You might want to retrieve the backup disk every few weeks and resync it with the master in order to make sure it is current at all times. Windows 2000 automatically handles the resyncing when you plug in the secondary drive if you have the two drives mirrored and have set up the mirror properly.
2. Electronic privacy, email, and postal mail:
2.1. Send all email regarding finance or business or litigation using PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption. You can get information about PGP encryptors from: http://www.pgp.com/.
2.2. Check with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to ensure that they don't provide information about your Internet usage patterns to third parties or in response to subpoenas.
2.3. If you are using Microsoft Word or Excel or Access, assign a password in order to view or open these files if they relate to business, finance, or litigation issues. This will keep prying eyes out. Make the passwords as long as possible. If you are using Microsoft Access, use the User Level Security Wizard to add user security to your database and also encrypt the database so it can't be scanned and decoded manually or with "snooping software".
2.4. Obtain statements from Microsoft of the following:
We do not reveal or provide to any third parties or governments access to tools, software, or methods that would facilitate breaking into our products once security or passwords are applied to data produced by our products.
3. Business dealing:
3.1. When you make application to any organization for any kind of service or benefit, ask the clerk what fields are optional and what fields are mandatory. Fill in the fewest fields you can on any application form to give people the minimum information possible about yourself.
3.2. Ensure that those people who you deal with relative to your business and financial dealings have signed a nondisclosure agreement regarding information about you and your accounts and dealings. This will prevent release of any information about you.
3.3. If you are an employer, avoid obtaining an employer ID number. If you hire only U.S. citizens and they work exclusively in the 50 states, there would appear to be no reason to have an employer ID number or to do withholding, unless of course the employees themselves insist on "volunteering". This will keep you out of the IRS' scrutiny.
4. General:
4.1. Buy and use a paper shredder. Destroy every piece of business or financial correspondence you are throwing away! That way no one can go through your trash and get evidence you don’t want them having.
4.2. Do not provide your social security number to anyone unless you cannot obtain a benefit without it, and even then, ensure that the organization who takes it does not share that information with outside organizations or allow it to be used to search for you by outside organizations.
4.3. Maintain the original copies of all documents in a safe place away from your residence, and under a name other than yourself to avoid it being found. Keep as many of them as possible in encrypted electronic form on your hard disk. Scan them in with your scanner and save them to disk rather than paper form.
4.4. Do NOT use cordless or cellular phones in any conversations that you have regarding finances. The air waves are a public resource and it is perfectly legal to surveil and record otherwise confidential conversations without a warrant if they are transmitted over the air waves.
5. Financial conduct:
5.1. Ensure that any financial accounts you open do not use Social Security Numbers. You can get an account without an SSN by being a nonresident alien and filing a form W-8 when you open the account. If you can't find a bank that will open an account without an SSN, you can open overseas accounts instead.
5.2. After you have taken the appropriate measures from Chapter 8 (“Solutions”), ensure that you discontinue filing 1040 so that you don't provide any information to the IRS that they can use to keep track of you. File 4868’s or a Tax Statement instead.
5.3. Conduct as many of your transactions in cash or gold as you can.
5.4. Use money orders where you can instead of personal checks, and especially to pay your state or federal government any amount due in taxes. This way they cannot determine where your financial accounts are. Do NOT accept direct deposit of tax your refund from the state or federal government.
5.5. Do not maintain safe deposit boxes, because they are required by law to have a social security number, which allows the IRS, creditors, and legal opponents to seize the assets in them. Instead, hide your assets in a safe place as far away from banks as possible. Alternatively, open a safe deposit box without an SSN by filing a W-8 with the bank..
6. Legal dealings:
6.1. Create a trust and put assets under the trust so that they will be harder to track down. Refuse to provide a social security number for any of the trust holders to make it harder to search for the trust. Form the trust overseas if they won't permit you to establish the trust without an SSN.
7. Marriage/family:
7.1. Have a prenuptial agreement or marriage contract between you and your spouse that respects the right of each party to have "separate property" and invalidates the idea of "community property", and especially if you are marrying or living in a community property state. This will allow you to protect each other's assets for safekeeping when there are legal actions against the other spouse. Without the protection of a prenuptial agreement and the absence of jurisdiction by the state over your marriage, creditors and the IRS can come after the assets of both parties to satisfy the liabilities of only one of them. A sample pre-nuptial agreement for California can be found in Chapter 9 of the Family Constitution, available free for the asking from the author of this document or from our website at http://famguardian.org/.
7.2. Ensure that your marriage contract protects the privacy of each spouse by prohibiting disclosing of the address or any contact information about the other spouse to third parties, and especially financial institutions or the IRS.
7.3. If a creditor or agent of government plunder illegally goes after your assets in court, then transfer your assets to the separate property of your spouse for safekeeping during the litigation process, so that you will be "judgment proof".
8. Records and evidence:
8.1. DO NOT admit to the existence of any records! You waive your right not to produce them if the IRS knows about the records and they can compel you to provide them!
8.2. Only present records or evidence to third parties if it will advantage your case and not expose or implicate you criminally in any way.
8.3. When you must present or provide information, for instance in response to a subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, ensure that you provide everything you already told people you have (which should be nothing) and as little as possible.
9. Phone Calls
9.1. You should install Caller ID blocking on your phone for outgoing calls and Caller ID for incoming calls. Buy a service from your phone company so that all people who call you MUST disclose their phone number, so you know who is calling.
9.2. Whenever you call a toll free number, such as one that starts with “888” or “800” number, you unwittingly reveal your phone number, and this applies even if you have Caller ID blocking installed on your phone line!
9.3. If you must communicate with a government organization on their toll free number, then we recommend one of the following two approaches:
9.3.1. Calling from a phone booth so that disclosure of the number won’t reveal your home phone.
9.3.2. Calling the operator and having them connect the call without revealing your number. There is an additional charge but it is easy to do.
10. Social Security Numbers
Don’t give out your Social Security Number! It’s a crime to force someone to reveal it:
TITLE 42 - THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
CHAPTER 7 - SOCIAL SECURITY
SUBCHAPTER II - FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS, AND DISABILITY INSURANCE BENEFITS
Sec. 408. Penalties
(a) In general
Whoever -...
(8) discloses, uses, or compels the disclosure of the social security number of any person in violation of the laws of the United States; shall be guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be fined under title 18 or imprisoned for not more than five years, or both.
10. IRS and State Taxing Authorities
10.1. DO NOT, under any circumstances, write a personal check to the IRS or your state income tax authorities to pay off tax debts. All you are doing them is telling them where your accounts are, and they can later use this information to send a levy to that institution to seize your assets for income taxes you don’t owe.
10.2. Do not allow direct deposit of your refund check into your checking account for the same reason as above, because you just tell the IRS and your state taxing authorities where the assets are to seize or levy.
10.3. Instead, make all payments to the IRS and the FTB via money orders or cashier’s check. This will keep your privacy intact at all times.
10.4. If you call the IRS or your state taxing authorities with a question, and they say they have to do some research and get back to you and ask for your phone number, don’t give it to them! Instead, ask them for a time when you can call back, and offer to check in with them regularly to see how things are going.
10.5. When you call the IRS or your state taxing authorities, they may ask you to verify your address, phone number, and Social Security Number. Don’t do it! Simply verify your name and nothing else. If they complain, ask them their full legal name, home address, and social security number. Tell them if they won’t give you theirs, then why should you give them yours?
Also, during audits or interactions with the IRS, the Paperwork Reduction act specified the maximum information that the IRS can legally ask you for. Refer to the table located in 26 CFR 602.101. The IRS cannot ask you for more information than this Table shows is required, in association with any demand for information made under any given code section from Title 26 (the Internal Revenue Code).
Lastly, the IRS and state taxing authorities are required to protect the privacy of the information you send them. Refer to IRS Publication 1075 entitled Tax Security Guidelines for Federal, State, and Local Agencies for further information."
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jun 27, 2014 - 11:13am PT
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When you call the IRS or your state taxing authorities...
you do so at yer peril. Have yer CPA do the calling. They will mislead
you at best if not outright lie. Remember who you are dealing with.
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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 27, 2014 - 12:11pm PT
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Calling from a phone booth so that disclosure of the number won’t reveal your home phone.
whoa couchmaster! When's the last time you've seen a phone booth? I trend to look closely, since I'm resistant to cell phone "convenience."
Otherwise, your beta is greatly appreciated! My antivirus did indeed detect a Trogan, swiftly dispelled by McAfee - himself in interesting neuveau riche current on the run from a murder indictment in Belieze. Takes all kinds, I suppose, in our brave new world.
Render unto Ceaser what is Caeser's - Death and Taxes. At my age, the choice is painfully evident.
What was interesting about the telephone exchange was the initial contact - out Tel # is unlisted...which makes our biz development a challenge.
On my counter request, when he asked "whom calleth," he mentioned my wife; not I, filing both as H of Hs; and also the arch, inc.
Fond of epigrams, I cite an Oscar Wilde anecdote: "Oscar and the Tax-Gatherer," to wit:
"...one day, as he stood outside his Tite Street door, preparing to insert his latch key, a little humble man came up, saying he had called about the taxes.
" 'Taxes!' said Wilde, looking down at him from his lordly height. 'Why should I pay taxes?'
" 'But sir,' said the little man, ' you are the householder, are you not?...'You live here - you sleep here?'
" 'Ah yes!' said Wilde, with utter solemnity, 'but then, you see - I sleep so badly.' "
I sincerely appreciate your krytonite, Couchie. Since I really can't quite follow it, would you be so kind as to possibly pm me? I'm on W/7, if that helps.
Otherwise, thank you very much for going the beta distance...which I'll attempt to implement. After several re-reads, I might understand the essential actions.
But, back on point - no, iris does not call direct, and promise to freeze your assets and D/R. They correspond via mail, and, when I've called in, I'm treated with courtesy regarding my "account."
But, according to one scam search, it's even possible for scammed mail to appear. After all, even the Franklin, with its watermark hologram, has already been hacked, and counterfeit.
Thing I cannot figure is that this level of criminal activity must take, at the very least, the time and energy of a legit full time profession, or vocation.
Of course, from the little I've seen of the 3rd World presents a completely opposed context.
That said, the Web can work in both directions. My wife's hunch found the perp 5 minutes after his first effort at extortion.
Thank God for feminine intuition. Guys, we'd be lost in the piney woods w/o it!
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