CONG. MENG RESPONDS TO TELEPHONE SCAM AFFECTING SOUTH ASIAN COMMUNITY

Congresswoman authors legislation to help combat the problem.

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) today responded to complaints in the South Asian community about a new telephone scam that targets individuals with threats of arrest and deportation.

The scheme consists of fraudsters utilizing a practice known as “spoofing,” in which fake names and phone numbers are displayed on recipients’ caller IDs in order to trick them into answering the phone.

When unsuspecting individuals pick up the call, the scammer poses as an official from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and demands immediate payment for unpaid taxes. Those who receive the call are told to pay with a debit card or wire transfer. The con artist then threatens the victim with arrest or deportation if they refuse. Often times, the scammers disguise their number to make it appear that the call is actually originating from IRS, and they may even speak in Hindi or Urdu.

While the scam targets all Americans, Meng has learned that numerous South Asian Americans have been targeted.

In the wake of the fraud, Meng renewed her call for Congress to pass legislation she introduced in December to crack down on spoofing.

Entitled the Anti-Spoofing Act, the measure would tighten the 2009 Truth in Caller ID Act to ensure that penalties are imposed on all those who use caller ID to misrepresent themselves in order to obtain personal or financial information. The bill, which is pending before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, would:

• ·         Broaden the law to prohibit spoofing by callers outside the U.S
• ·         Broaden the law to include new internet-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services which enable callers to make outgoing-only calls from computers and tablets to mobile and landline phones
• ·         Broaden the law to include text messaging

Spoofing is widely used by con artists as well as unscrupulous telemarketers. They use technology to disguise their numbers and identities to make their calls appear legitimate. Fraudsters use the practice to swindle the public out of money by misrepresenting themselves as not only government agencies, but hospitals, banks, pharmacies and credit card companies.

“If people receive a call from somebody claiming to be an IRS official, they should be very cautious and suspicious,” said Meng. “If the caller asks for money, they should hang up immediately. These are not government officials trying to correct a tax problem. They are con artists trying to rip people off. The public should know that IRS does not ask for payments or personal information over the phone. The public should be on guard against this outrageous scam, and not fall victim to it.”Press Release.

Those who have been a victim of the above telephone scam should report it to the Federal Trade Commission at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/, or contact local law enforcement. They can also log onto IRS.gov for further information.