SHARE Sheriff Dale J. Schmidt, Dodge County Sheriff's Office TRACE FROST Audio

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A scammer claiming to be from the IRS folded like laundry on Thursday when he received a call back from an unexpected recipient: the Dodge County sheriff.

On Thursday morning, Dale Schmidt received this message on his personal cell phone: "Hello, this call is officially a final notice from the Internal Revenue Service. The reason of this call is to inform you the IRS is filing lawsuit against you. To get more information about this case file please call immediately on our department number (605) 291-6542. Thank you."

According to the Sheriff's Office, when Schmidt called the number back, a woman answered, "Internal Revenue Service." When the sheriff asked if there was a way to verify that the call was coming from the IRS, the woman responded, "It is not our job to verify who we are." Then she hung up.

Schmidt called back.

This time a man answered the phone, and the rest is, well, priceless.

According to a transcript of their conversation provided by the Sheriff's Office:

Scammer: "Thank you for calling the Internal Revenue Service, how may I help you?"

Sheriff: "I am the sheriff in Dodge County, Wisconsin, and I had a complaint about this number and I am trying to confirm that this is in fact the IRS. Is there a way that you can confirm this for me?"

Scammer: "No sir, this is not the IRS. This is a scam."

Sheriff: "This is a scam?"

Scammer: "Yes."

Sheriff: "OK, can you tell me where you are from? Where you are located?"

Scammer: "In Afghanistan."

Sheriff: "In Afghanistan?"

Scammer: "Yes."

Sheriff: "Can you tell me your name?"

Scammer: "Malma Dahli (Spelling uncertain)."

Sheriff: "Why are you scamming our citizens?"

Scammer: "This is our job, sir."

Sheriff: "You're stealing money from people."

Scammer: "Yes."

Sheriff: "And why are you doing that?"

The scammer then hung up.

The Sheriff's Office urges people to question or ignore such calls, with a reminder that the IRS will not call anyone demanding money and that most reputable businesses will contact delinquent debtors by mail.

It also urges people to contact their local law enforcement agency if they believe they have been victimized by such a scam.

"Your best course of action is simply to hang up and go on with your day," the Sheriff's Office said.

The Journal Sentinel tried to call the scammer's number Thursday night.

The line was busy.