U.S. Breaks Up Fake IRS Phone Scam Operation

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced the disbandment of what appeared to be the first large-scale, multinational telephone fraud operation in the country, reports the New York Times . The scam reportedly stole "hundreds of millions" of dollars from more than 15,000 Americans, and more than 50,000 individuals had their personal information misused. The money was routed through India-based call centers back to the ringleaders in eight states. From 2012 to 2016, the scam had someone masquerading as an Internal Revenue Service or immigration official, threatening victims with punishments if they did not immediately pay their debts with prepaid cards or wire transfers. Immigrants and older adults were the calls' primary targets.