ATLANTA, Ga. — Two Channel 2 viewers have been targeted by what the FBI calls a nationwide telephone scam.
Consumer investigator Jim Strickland called the FBI to learn more after he heard an automated voicemail message left on both victims’ phones.
“Don’t disregard this message,” said the voicemail. “And do not return the call before we take any action against you.”
“I flipped,” said Stoupa. “You’re thinking ‘How much do I owe? How far back is it? What did I do wrong?’”
Stoupa said her family’s cellphones have been inundated with the automated threats.
Muriel Birchette said she also received threats.
The automated message also said, “We have received a legal petition against your name regarding tax evasion, a tax fraud.”
Both Stoupa and Birchette called Strickland. He learned the FBI had issued an alert about the issue less than a month ago.
“It’s clearly a scam,” said Special Agent Stephen Emmett. “The government doesn’t operate that way. They’re not going to call you. They’re not going to email you in this fashion, threatening you, asking you for money.”
Emmett said targeted families are told to call back and are usually instructed to buy a pre-loaded money card to pay a fake tax bill.
“The telephone number is all over the Internet from previous scam victims,” said Emmett.
The FBI said the callers are using American numbers, but are probably calling from another country.
Birchette does not know who the scammers are, but she figures their mindset is clear.
“I don’t think they regard us as people. They just regard us as a means of income,” said Birchette.
WSBTV
