Money Mafia Season 2 Episode 5 review: The infamous IRS scam and how it brought shame to the nation

The second season of Money Mafia on discovery+ returns with a tale of deceit on a global scale - fake Indian call centres posing as IRS agents to scam vulnerable US residents of millions of dollars

Rating: 2.5/5

Story:

The episode focuses on the IRS scam from recent years that targeted US residents. There are interviews with those working with the government in the US as well as India as they explain the damage it has done to the victims of the scam.

Review:

The IRS scam was unusual in many ways, but the most interesting aspect of it was how the judiciary had to reevaluate how to persecute Indian citizens for crimes, financial crimes in fact, on foreign citizens whilst the perpetrators are based on Indian soil.

The multimillion-dollar that shook both India and the US was in fact allegedly the brainchild of Sagar Thakkar, who was in his early 20s at the time. This in itself is quite extraordinary and could possibly be one of the youngest scammers in the world involved in such a large scale money laundering scheme.

Unfortunately, the documentary focuses very little on the perpetrators and Sagar Thakkar. This holds back the episode from exploring the scam in great detail and offers very little in terms of being informative for the viewers. A vast majority of the aspects have been well-documented in the media as well.

It is also disappointing that there are hardly any interviews with the victims. Most of whom are vulnerable to such phishing syndicates. The elderly and new immigrants to the country are the primary targets as they might have a limited understanding of how the Internal Revenue Service functions. The notoriety and myth surrounding the punishment IRS hands out have created a sense of dread among residents, and it is this fear that is targeted by fraudulent agencies.

It is ironic that India’s efficiency in establishing a reputation for call centres has inadvertently helped spawn the IRS scam. The mark it leaves on the nation on a global scale, is one that brings shame and embarrassment. Some of the interviewees also indicate how it could affect diplomatic relations. But the fact that the episodes hardly delves into the plight of the victims or about the delayed court proceedings for the 700 people arrested in connection with the scam.

Verdict:

The episode sheds light on the IRS scam but fails to build an engrossing narrative that deconstructs the scam.

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