Don't get scammed; Buddy almost did

Posted 2/1/18

To the editor:During a lunch break, I ran into an elderly friend (let’s call him Buddy), who asked for a ride to Seekonk.  When I asked, what he needed in Seekonk, his response was …

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Don't get scammed; Buddy almost did

Posted

To the editor:
During a lunch break, I ran into an elderly friend (let’s call him Buddy), who asked for a ride to Seekonk.  When I asked, what he needed in Seekonk, his response was “I can’t tell you, but I need to get there as soon as possible.” 

I noticed that he seemed stressed  as he was on the phone with someone and he continued to step outside to talk to the caller without me overhearing.  The caller kept insisting that Buddy must get to Best Buy plaza in Seekonk to take care of a problem.

After Buddy told the Caller that he couldn’t get there for a couple hours, the caller gave Buddy another location on Metacom Ave. Warren.  

I told Buddy, that he seemed very stressed.  I did not want to pry into his personal affairs but I feared that he might be getting scammed.  At first, he resisted and then Buddy proceeded to tell me , that he received several phone calls today from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) stating that he had failed to pay the correct amount of taxes during 2014, 2015, & 2016 and he must make an immediate payment of $3497 or face a a fine of up to $25,000 and up to 25 years in prison.

I immediately drove Buddy to the Warren Police Station, where a police officer explained that the IRS WILL NOT CALL YOU!   This is a very popular scam that preys on elders.

Meanwhile, Mr. IRS Scammer was still on the muted phone, I then had a rather brief conversation with the scamming slime and told him where to go!  Please pass this info on and check on your elderly friends often.  If something seems amiss ,  it probably is.  Buddy made no payment and now feels like he won the lottery!

John Treacy
68 Beach St., Warren

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Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.