The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reports that efforts to curb IRS phone scams are working, as fewer people are falling victim to them, according to Accountingweb. Yesterday Inspector General J. Russell George said that scammers used to be able to get one victim every 40 to 50 calls. Now, he said, it takes about 300 to 400 calls before someone falls for the scam. 

Beyond warning people about the scams, TIGTA has been taking direct steps to shut them down. TIGTA is using an autodialer to call known scammers and advise them that their activities are illegal. It's also working with telephone companies to shut down phone numbers used for scams, and eventually publishing the numbers of known scammers online. 

People who have been contacted by scammers impersonating tax authorities are encouraged to contact TIGTA and tell them the details of the call.