And the IRS will never ask you to make a payment by credit card, debit card or prepaid card. If you receive one of these calls, the attorney general recommends that you should hang up immediately and report the scam to the IRS. The number to report a possible scam to the IRS is 800-829-1040.
To move this back from games, here in New York, an average senior C++ programmer in finance gets anywhere between 150 and 250k/yr, and companies that aren't doing finance have to match the salaries or lose the people. it's no picnic, though, long hours doesn't even begin to describe it.
About $100,000 a year. That's the answer if you have been programming for 4+ years and work in a major tech hub like the Bay area or NYC. Of course your mileage WILL vary. Your salary is dependent on your skill level, your experience and your negotiating power. Most programmers will make between $40,000 and $120,000. Junior prgrammers, or people starting out in smaller cities can expect to make around $30,000-$50,000. Most average programmers are bringing in around $60,000-$85,000 a year. Senior programmers will typically reach $100,000.