IRS Phone Scam - Don't Become a Victim

I’ve often heard about people being scammed out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars through scam artists who make it their life’s work to defraud people out of their money. Never ever thought it would happen to me. Then today I received my very first scam call. Woke up to two missed calls from a (202) 697-9915. Checked my voicemail only to get a recording of an electronic male voice repeating a number. I gave it no thought.  Then a few hours later I received yet another missed call from that same number. When I returned the call the number just rang and rang. So I decided to call back the number from my voicemail (202) 436-9798.

The voice on the other end sounded like a Middle Eastern man who identified himself as “Chief Inspector Austin Reed” with the IRS.  I told him I was returning a call to which he inquired what number they had contacted me on.  After I gave him my number he asked if he was speaking to “Yaminah Gore” (he mispronounced my last name - it sounded French or something) to which I repeated my full government name.  He went on to say that he was with the IRS and that the federal government has issued a warrant for my arrest and wanted to know if I knew why.  I stifled a laugh and he interjected to say this was “serious”. I told him it was funny to me that he would call me to tell me there is a warrant for my arrest and then ask me if I knew why. Shouldn’t he already know why a warrant was issued for my arrest? I went on to tell him it was impossible that there is a warrant out for my arrest. He inquired why I would say that and I told him it is because I am a law abiding citizen and have been so for all my life. Once I realized this was a scam call I told him to remove my number from their ‘que’ and refrain from calling me again. He kept trying to tell me “how serious” this situation was. To which I told him to go ahead and have the federal government execute the warrant on me as I’ve been living at the same place for the past 17 years so if they want to arrest me they knew where I lived.  I also shared with him that I would report his call to the local tv station as well as the IRS.  His response was to hang up.

Afterwards I thought about the stories I’ve heard about people who were scammed out of money due to these type calls and I could see how that could happen especially if there past was a bit questionable.  I immediately did an internet search for where I could report my encounter. I came across a website for the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration www.treasury.gov/tigta where I completed and submitted a fraud report form. It was a very simple and easy process. There was also a toll free number listed (800) 366-4484 but due to the sheer volume of calls received the mailbox was full. I would love to say that was the end of my encounter, but not so. Throughout the day I continued to receive automated calls from the “IRS Fraud line” expressing urgency for me to return the call and resolve the issues that has prompted the Federal Government to issue a warrant for my arrest.  I chose to ignore those calls.

The previous case is only a small scale on how widespread phone scams have become. These predators prey on unsuspecting individuals including senior citizens who may not be as savvy to identify theses calls as scams. Don’t fall victim to scam calls. If you ever receive a call from someone you don’t know or from someone claiming to be collecting a debt, ask them to send you the request in writing. If they don’t have your address, chances are it is a scam – hang up. Don’t give out ANY personal information pass your name. Think about it, everyone you have done business with already has your personal information. Remember we live in nation that requires “due process” before any collection action is levied against you. Every demand for debt has to be in writing and you must be given an opportunity to confirm the debt before you are required to pay it. Also remember the IRS will never call you asking you to pay a debt over the phone. They have ways to garnish future earnings and tax returns so don’t ever fall for the tactics people from other counties may try to pull over on you because they are ignorant of the law that governs the citizens of our country. I’ve never heard of the Federal Government issuing an arrest warrant for failure to pay a debt without due process. I’m just saying – I got issues. What about you?)i(

Here are some other resources:

https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/press/press_tigta-2015-34.htm

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0076-phone-scams

https://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Warns-of-Pervasive-Telephone-Scam

http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2015/08/24/434313813/why-phone-fraud-starts-with-a-silent-call

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 The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe. 

Dating: It’s Them Not You

The other day I was having a candid conversation with a male friend over the phone. Somehow the conversation shifted to him saying things like “you’re so articulate and intelligent” and “I like talking to you cause you’re funny” among other flattering things about my physical appearance, etc. Truth is, I was not sure where he was going. I thought perhaps he was hitting on me – lol. Then he asked the dreaded question, “So why are you still single?” I was a little taken aback by his question. As I mentioned before I was not sure where the conversation was heading. I thought “was this a loaded question or is he genuinely concerned about the state of my love life?” I decided to believe the latter, however I had to think about it for a minute. After all, I’ve only been single like for “forever” and it’s not for a lack of trying. Sure I desired to be in a fulfilling relationship, but it just hasn’t happened yet. And yes, I’ve had a couple of "false" starts where the guy appeared to be “into me” but that quickly went south once their true intentions were revealed.

Truth be told, there are literally thousands of single people out here who are having a hard time connecting with “the one”, but they are still hoping to find a meaningful relationship. I have also discovered that there are just as many people out here who are "less than truthful" with a potential mate and are in fact playing games with people’s feelings.  While lots of dating sites promote opportunities for singles to find love on their site, some fail to tell you that you should proceed at your own risk because the profiles on their site may or may not be true/fake. Personally I’ve come across my share of “fake” profiles where the pictures were fake, their gender was fake, and even their status of being “single” was also fake.  I’ve since become an "expert" on recognizing such profiles and steer clear of them totally. But let’s forget about on-line dating sites for now. Instead, let’s focus on the folks you may meet at a bar, club, or family gathering. Quite frankly, you have just as much chance of running into a fake “profile” at any one of these venue as you would on-line.

Truth is, it is just as challenging to make a connection with someone you meet in person as it is someone on-line. Scenario one: You meet someone at a public venue and you instantly click. Feels like you’ve known each other for years because the chemistry is so strong. I mean you share similar interest and like just about all the same things. You like them and they apparently like you so you start pursuing something. After about a month of “good morning/gnite babe” text and frequent phone calls, you notice that text and phone calls become less and less and eventually stops. You call/text asking “what’s up?” but get no response for about two weeks. Then one day out of the blue you get a “good morning babe” text like nothing happened. 

Scenario two: Met same way as above but maybe instead you were hot and heavy for two months then one day your call to him get sent to voicemail. You figure he saw you calling and will call you back, but he doesn’t. Now you are confused because you don’t know what happened. It’s not like you had an argument which would account for the cold shoulder. Just when you figured you will never hear from him again, you get a phone call from him. You’re even more confused because he’s acting like he just spoke to you yesterday. In both scenarios it’s possible that he has someone else on the hook and you are just a “side thing”. Of course there can also be tons of other reasons why the connection did not work out, ie., he is not financially stable and cannot afford to date and may be embarrassed that he can’t afford to wine and dine you – to which I say, “don’t put yourself out there if you can’t afford to”; he may feel he is not well endowed – to which I say, “it’s a muscle, the more you play with it the bigger it gets”; or he may just be intimidated by you/your success - to which i say, "get over it." No matter the reason, nothing beats the truth and there is never any good excuse for ignoring someone for whom you claim to have feelings.  Being truthful builds credibility and shows good character. However, in our scenarios above your attempts to get a straight answer as to what is going on proved to be futile as he keeps evading the question. You may get all kind of responses including “I’m feeling overwhelmed” or “I was not ready for a relationship”. You wonder to yourself, “didn’t he know that when we met?”  

Honestly? He did, but he knew that if he came at you honestly about just wanting a "hook up", you would not have given him the time of the day. So he lied about wanting what you wanted so he can get what he really wanted, which was to bed you. There are probably more women out here looking for a meaningful relationship than there are those who are looking for just a hook up. But it's hard to know which is which right off the bat. To find out for sure, they will have to invest some time and possibly some money to discover the hook up ones and sometimes that can take months. That’s the risk some men are not willing to take, so they lie about their intentions knowing fully well that you probably want more.  I have no doubt that there are women out there who would not turn down a hook up, but men have not yet devised a method to identify those women right from the start so they play games to get what they want and give no thought to how their actions will affect the women who want more.  I’m equally sure that there are men out there who are looking for a meaningful relationship as well and their encounters may be just as nightmarish. The challenge, for both men and women who looking for a relationship, is finding someone who also wants one.

I’m convinced that there are some men and women who are just looking for the physical and not so much a relationship, but instead of coming clean from the beginning, they string the other person along making them think they want the same things knowing fully well that is not the case. What they fail to realize is that karma is a bitch and what they give they will eventually get back. It is very unfair for them to prey on unsuspecting people knowing that they have no desire to be in a relationship especially when they already know the person wants more than what they are willing to give. The thing to remember is that their dishonesty says more about their character than it does about your trusting nature. No one likes to have their emotions toyed with and there are some who take great offense when that happens. To that end, there are those who have taken matters into their own hands and unleash a slue of revenge tactics on the offender, some more extreme than others. Then there are those (like myself) who prefer another approach. They silently wait for karma to have it's way and avenge them because all deeds, regardless of the intent, are rewarded - good with good and bad with bad. This is a preferred method that ensure their hands/aura remains "clean"- so to speak. Whatever the method chosen, it can never truly provide a sense of satisfaction or erase the hurt that was inflicted by the predator.

Dating is not an exact science and it will probably take some time for you to find what you really want. You may have to kiss a lot of frogs in the process, but if you make a list of exactly what you are looking for then you will recognize the ones who fall short of your standards and thus reduce the amount of frogs you have to kiss. The challenge is not to lose your dignity and self-respect in the process. So if you meet someone who appears to be into you, give it a few months before you take it to the next level (and be sure to make it crystal clear exactly what you expect from them so there can be no misunderstanding). That may or may not weed out the fakes, but it will give you some time to get to see the real them. I’m just saying – I got issues. What about you?)i(

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 The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe. 

Take Back Your Power – Be Happy

For way too long I’ve been guilty of seeking my happiness from external sources. It’s so liberating when you rediscover that your happiness lies within you. Your happiness is not in a lover, your children, a job, or even your friends. It is within you and only you. I know sometimes we get pulled into things that make us feel that this is the source of our happiness. i.e., a romantic relationship, a new job, a new car, winning the lottery, etc. but it’s really not. It just seems like it is. Because it makes you feel good, but that feeling will dissipate just as quickly as it came because it was an external stimuli.  You are the only one who can determine if you’re happy based on your external stimuli. If you only allow your happiness to be determined by external stimuli, then you run the risk of only being happy for as long as that experience last. Then you go back to being unhappy until the next external experience occurs. Because of that your bout of happiness may be like a rollercoaster ride and that can be exhausting.

If your happiness is based strictly on external stimuli, then it could also be diminished when your self-worth is not validated by external experiences.  There may be times when your best effort will go un-noticed and your value diminished in the eyes of others because they are too blind to recognize/see your worth or the value you bring to their life.  As people continue to ignore your value and self-worth you become depressed and unhappy and may seek for ways to encourage people to validate you thus restore your happiness. Again, this can be exhausting as well as time consuming. This emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows becomes like a full-time job that pays you dividends in bouts of short lived happiness that will eventually take its toll on you both physically as well as mentally. The dependence on external stimuli to maintain your level of happiness is not the best way to manage your happiness. You need to find ways to stimulate your happiness from within. 

Truth is the best kind of happiness is one that comes from within. Happiness generated from internal stimuli is one that is not dependent on anyone or anything outside of you. It is a feeling of self-worth and self-appreciation that consistently causes you to smile for apparently no reason. It is overall approval of who you are and needs no external validation to promote or ignite a feeling of good feeling. In fact, when you are truly happy from within, external stimulus only serves to enhance your experience of happiness. 

So how do you uncover your internal happiness? I’m glad you asked. First, take some time to evaluate yourself. Look at all the things that makes you YOU. Make a list if you need to in order to help you have a visual of what that looks like. Write down all your great qualities – all the things you like about yourself. Include all your blessings too – things that are going well for you. Have a sense of self-worth and feel good about yourself, by so doing you gain confidence and increase your self-esteem. You may run into a few mental road blocks that may include how people make you feel. Don’t list those. The trick is to keep reminding yourself that no one else’s opinion of you matters unless you chose to give it validity. How someone treats you is not a reflection on you or your value but a revelation of who they truly are and a reflection of them.

The truth is most times than not people don’t feel good about who they are and are unhappy with themselves and they project those feelings on you. The ugly truth is that the only way they can feel good about themselves is to degrade others in an attempt to elevate their own self-worth. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met people who pretend to be someone other than their true self. But eventually they drop the persona and their true self is revealed.   If people cannot accept you for who you are and continue to feel the need to devalue you to make themselves feel better, then they should not have a place in your life. Quite making people’s opinion of you dictate the way you feel, live or love. Take back your power and rediscover the happiness that is in you. Your only job/focus should be to feel good if not great everyday despite what is going on around you.  I’m just saying – I got issues. What about you?)i(

Life: Get Exactly What You Want

You know that saying, “be careful what you ask for because you just might get it”?  Well just the other day I was thinking about that saying and what I realize is that sometimes we get exactly what we ask for but we either don’t recognize it or we don’t know what to do with it or how to act when it shows up. It could be money, a new car, a significant other, etc. Too many times we pray, “God send me a man/woman” but when they show up we either don’t embrace them or if we do embrace them, it’s only for a brief moment then we discard them for whatever reason. The reality is if you don’t take the time to really think about the things that you want and be specific about the details, you won’t recognize it when it shows up.

Everybody is searching for something, some more diligent than others, but the fact still remains that we all want things (a new car, a new home, a spouse, to be loved, a better paying job, more money, better health, etc, etc, etc.). But unless you take the time to think about the details and really focus on what that will look like and the impact it will have on your life, you could very well miss the opportunity to get what you want or if you do get it, you risk misusing or abusing it. The Law of attraction says "like attracts like" and "what you think about you bring about" because you are on that frequency. So whatever you ask for you will get but unless you take the time to envision what you want, it will show up but just not in the form or magnitude you expected. Confused? Don’t be. Ok here is an example. Let’s say you want more money in your life and all you say is “Lord send me more money or make me rich”. Well “more money” and “rich” are so vague. More money could be $1 or $20. Rich could be having millions, but it could also be having more friends, being more popular, or just having enough to pay your bills. Or let’s say you ask for a spouse, “Lord send me a good man/woman”. Again a “good” man/woman is so vague. Good could be someone who is law abiding, has some sense of values and a pretty decent person over all, but they lack the ability to fulfill your desires and could be self-centered and have no clue how to please you.

The universe/God will use their interpretations of what you asked for based on your life – how you live, the experiences you have had thus far or your definition of “being rich” or with the men/women you have had in your life because that is what you think about. I once heard a story about a woman who grew up in a home where her mom was physically abused by the men in her life. Her mom kept going from one bad relationship to another.  When the woman grew up she told herself she would never be with an abuser, however she too found herself experiencing the same things with the men in her life that her mom experienced. Why is that? The answer is, it is because she focused on the negative experiences she saw her mom endure and she brought it to herself. Every guy she dated treated her the exact same way her mom was treated.  Believe it or not, most times than not people don’t think about what they want and if they do, they don’t do so in detail. Instead, they think about what they don’t want – which is what has already manifested in their lives. Unfortunately, because they think about what has already happened, they do so in detail which lays the foundation for all their future experiences. As a result they keep having the same experiences with money, their relationships, etc. over and over again.  

The universe/God will give you what you ask for. If you are vague, you will get what you’ve always gotten, but if you give specific details, then you will get that. The fact is the universe/God needs specific details in order for it to manifest in the form you want it to be. Yeah I know we all believe that God knows everything and therefore He can read between the lines and give you what you want. Well news flash, while He is all knowing, He also only operates out of the desires of your heart. So if you don’t even know what it is you want, how can you expect him to give it to you? Think about it. While God desires to give you good things, He is not going to push/force anything on you. He gave you free will, that means He gave you the ability to make choices. He allows you to decide whether or not you want to serve Him and to live a life pleasing to Him or if you want to do your thing which may not be so pleasing to Him.  He does not force His will on you so He won’t venture to push things on you if you are not clear on what you want.

So if you ask to be rich or for a good man/woman, then you need to be clear what it is you are asking for. Take some time to really think about what it is you are asking for. Be very specific on what that will look like. If it’s money you want, then how much money do you want and don’t just focus on the money but focus on the things you will buy with the money. If you are asking for a spouse, then be specific about what they will look like physically, their personality, their purpose in your life, etc. The more details you add the better chance you will have to recognize the things you ask for when they show up. What you want is very attainable, the answer is in the details. I’m just saying. I got issues – what about you?)i(

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 The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe. 

Gay Rights Equals Human Rights

Recently, in what is being deemed a “landmark” decision, the Supreme Court ruled against the banning of same sex marriage in all 50 states. Up until the ruling, there were 14 states who had bans in place on same sex marriage and only about a third of the other states openly allowed the union of same sex couples.  While the decision was not unanimous, it was close enough to render that the justices now see the rational in allowing the ban to be lifted. It was a decision that provoked dissension across the country. Just about everyone has an opinion on the subject. Both local and social media buzzed with both support for and against the decision. Needless-to-say, the gay community is elated with the news and many shared that it was a decision that was long overdue. To that end, many participated in group marriages across the country the following day after the ruling. Still others would go so far as to draw a parallel correlation between their struggle and the struggle of African Americans.  A statement which was not embraced by many in the African American community.

Among other things the ruling seemed to provoke the unveiling of individuals who until now their sexual orientation was not readily know, at least not to me anyway. Sure there are those who exude a certain feminine side, or like I like to say, have a little sugar in their tank, but that is not always a dead giveaway as there are some feminine looking guys who are living pretty normal heterosexual lives. Perhaps it’s just that they have not yet been outed. What I found interesting about this whole thing is the slew of actions people took in protest after the ruling.  I saw a post on Facebook where a pastor said he would quicker set himself on fire than perform a same sex marriage. And then there were the group of employees at a courthouse who resigned from their jobs in protest of the ruling.  Others resorted to launching anti-gay campaigns on social media and released a lot of “God” condemnations and anti-gay posts. 

What these people seem to fail to realize is that with or without the ruling people were living their lives as they saw fit. The only thing this ruling did was making it legal for them to get married. What they also failed to realize is that this was a social issue that was addressed and not a moral issue. In my opinion the ban on same sex marriage was an infringement on an individual’s right to choose. Just as banning abortion also infringes on a woman’s right to choose. It’s not so much about the “sin” as it is about a person’s right to choose.  Sure my theory seems to be blown out the water by Chief Justice John Roberts’ statement in dissent. In his prepared statement Chief Roberts said, " If you are among the many Americans - of whatever sexual orientation - who favor expanding same-sex marriage, by all means celebrate today's decision, but do not celebrate the Constitution. It had nothing to do with it."

Well I prefer to differ, after all isn’t part of their job as

justices to rule on cases based on whether or not an action is a violation of the Constitution? How can he then say it had nothing to do with the constitution? If that is the case, then what was the basis for their ruling? The constitution afford all Americans the right to pursue happiness and discourages discrimination by blocking laws that would otherwise impede on our right to choose. There is the notion that the government and religion are separate entities, however at times it is clear that a lot of our laws are based on religious belief which also sets the tone for moral and social standards. It is the moral religious standing that would prevent same sex marriages. I say that because many have quoted that “God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve” in their argument against same sex relationships. Yet the very act of depriving couples of the same sex to marry impedes their basic human rights – the right to choose. If you really thought about it objectively, who in society is being hurt by such unions? I offer that by banning same sex marriages, the government was taking on the moral role of God who is the judge, jury, and executioner for all moral infractions.  

I have my own views on gay relationships but I know enough to know that it is not my place to tell grown folks what they can and can’t do. I am sure like me, you also have heterosexual friends who are living a life that is an abomination to God’s word, be it a lifestyle that is filled with drugging or boozing, prostitution, lying, stealing, fornication or anything that goes against the ten commandments. Yet you don’t feel the need to put them on blast on social media. What makes this portion of the population any different? While I may not agree with their lifestyle, I whole heartedly support their right to choose because in the end, that is what makes this country so great. It’s why many people abandon their own country to move to America to pursue the American dream. A dream that would not, could not materialize in their oppressing country which limit their right to choose.  It’s easy to point a finger at anything that goes against your own beliefs when it is a sin that you are not committing, but what about your sins? Who is keeping track of that? The best way to win people over is to model a lifestyle that shows them what they are doing wrong. When Jesus was among us, he hang with the sick and sinners so that he could teach and show them the way His Father sent him to reveal. Who I’m I to think myself better than Jesus? You can’t make people do or say what you want them to do or say no matter how well intended.  All you can do is pray that their spiritual eyes and ears will be awaken and that they make the change before it is too late.

I don’t know how this will end, but I do know it’s far from over. I have no doubt that we have not heard or seen the last of this and it’s only a matter of time before the next chapter in the fight for gay rights is written. Until then I’ll just sit back and watch the consequences as they unfold. Say what you want about social issues and/or moral issues, but when it comes to God’s issues no human can withstand his wrath or his judgement. I’m just saying – I got issues. What about you?)i(

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 The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe. 

Father’s Day/Mother’s Day – Not Gender Specific

Yesterday we celebrated Father’s Day. As always, I wished all

the single mother’s I know a happy Father’s Day. Some were receptive and gave the usual “thank you” in response. Yet there were a few who reminded me that they were not fathers.  As I browsed through my social media home page I came across a few posting by both genders which seemingly criticized the practice of wishing happy Father’s Day to single mothers. As I read each post, I found the reasoning or rational offered for the denouncement interesting.  A few offered that while they were single moms, they were not fathers and already had a day which celebrated/honored them. One person made a reference to single fathers who were raising their child(ren) on their own and offered that these single fathers would never say “I am a great mother” on Mother's day. While that may or may not be true, the fact is everyone has their opinion on why they would or would not celebrate their accomplishments as a single parent on the opposite gender day.  As I pondered this issue, one question came to mind - is Father’s Day/Mother’s Day really gender specific?

To answer that question I looked at what Biblical principles teaches me as well as my own personal experience on the subject to analyze my rational/reason why I give props to mothers on Father’s Day and vice versa.  To help you better understand my view it is important that you know that I subscribe to the notion of traditional gender specific roles meaning I believe that men and women have specific roles that they should fill in relationships as well as child rearing and that a void is created when they fail to fulfill those roles.   So when applied to mothers and fathers, I believe that they both are responsible for specific things in the raising of a child. Women were created and wired to be nurturers, just as men were created and wired to be providers and protectors among other things. However their experiences and upbringing either enhances or deters it.

Normally when these two roles exist in a child’s life you have a harmonious existence where each party pull their weight and there is no strain or cross over. Everyone knows what is expected of them and they operate accordingly.  The mother cares for the child(ren) and the home and the father provides financial stability and protection for his family. While disciplining of the child(ren) falls under the mother’s role, there are times when the father’s input becomes necessary. 

The issue then arises when one of these roles is missing from the equation. As a nation it seems like it has become the norm for the man to be the missing component from the equation, however it can just as easily be the woman that is missing in action (MIA).  Naturally the absence of a parent does not dissolve or void the role they play in the child’s life. As a result the remaining parent must now step in and fill both roles. If it is the man that is MIA, the woman must now assure the role of the provider and protector as well as continue to perform her role as the nurturer, home keeper, and disciplinarian.  Likewise if it’s the woman that is MIA, then the man must now assume the role of the nurturer, home keeper, and disciplinarian as well as continue to perform his role as the provider and protector.  This dual role can be further complicated if there is no family support in play. While each role in and of itself can be both time consuming and exhausting, coupled together they can be downright difficult to accomplish effectively. Mainly because it was not meant for one person to assume both roles. 

The thing is, when done right, there are literally tons of side effects of being a single parent including but not limited to the lack of a social life – been there, done that.  However many have done it and very successfully I might add.  So forgive me if I feel the need to give kudos to those who have demonstrated that they have the staying power to perform both roles, sometimes to their own detriment.  Giving a single parent kudos for being both the nurturer and the provider for their child(ren) is no way a signal that I am trying to diminish the fact that the child(ren) has a biological father somewhere out there and the key words here are “somewhere out there”. So yes, I agree that women cannot literally be a “father” because that word is gender specific just as “mother” is gender specific.  However, they do assume the responsibilities associated with the role of a father in the absence of the father and vice versa. Therefore it’s okay to say good job when they are forced to step up and fill the role of the missing parent. I’m just saying – I got issues. What about you?)i(

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 The views and opinions shared here are by the Author and are the property of Todos Escribe.