There was an article in the paper this morning about how an IRS phone scam is so widespread and growing.  We got two or three such calls.  The phone rings, the "IRS agent" is on the phone or leaves a message demanding money and threatening you with legal problems or jail time.  Very scary and intimidating.  I freaked, but my husband didn't bat an eye.  He said "the IRS doesn't contact you by telephone, they contact you by mail. It's a scam."

Just this week we got another type.  Someone leaves a message using your name and saying you will be served with papers tomorrow.  Someone will show up at your door between noon and 5 p.m.   Again, very scary.  This time my husband called back to find out more about it.  The woman said we owe a debt from 1995 to Newport News.  We don't know what Newport News is, but she said we owe them $2000.  Husband said to send him info about this 'debt" by registered mail.  She said she couldn't do that.  He then asked all about this "debt" which she said she could not share any info with him.  She tried to get him to admit we owe this (which we don't).  He ended up just hanging up.

 I googled this Newport News and find it was a mail order catalog than went bankrupt in 1995.  It was then bought by Speigel who went bankrupt in 2004.  It seems Speilgel is still sort of in existence but they have many many, many consumer complaints and the dis-satisfied customers can'y get a human to answer their phone calls.   Evidently the scammers are using bankrupt companies and citing 'debts" that are so old you can't go back and check them out.

So beware of these phone scammers.  BTW, no one ever came to our door to serve us with papers.