Despite
repeated warnings in the press and other media outlets, the phone scams
threatening legal action to settle outstanding IRS debts continue to press
onward.
The other day,
I received one of these aforementioned robo-calls from someone obviously not
sited on this continent warning me that if I didn’t respond to this final call
to settle a $7,000 IRS debt, I could face prosecution and even jail time.
It should be
noted that this was the third such call I’d gotten on such a matter since
November. And apparently I wasn’t alone as several of my neighbors and a number
of colleagues at the local gym had fielded similar phone threats.
Nine other
months of the year I would normally delete the message and get on with my day
job. But since this is the onset of filing season and our calls to small firms
are treated with much the same disdain as a door to door salesman selling
vacuum cleaners, I decided to have a little fun with some down time.
At their
expense of course.
So I called the
toll-free number and followed instructions by asking for Supervisor #24.
So the ensuing
and very brief conversation went something like this:
Me: “Yes, I’m calling about a voice mail I received regarding my outstanding
debt to the IRS.”
S24: “Yes, our records show that it was from tax year 2013. We can take a
check or credit card and the matter will be closed.”
Me: “Great that makes it so easy. By the way how’s the weather in Mumbai?”
Silence.
Me: “Um, did you hear me, what’s it like today in Mumbai?”
Again silence.
Me: “By the way, I thought the IRS always sends a letter and doesn’t call.”
Still silence
Me: Hey, I’ll have to remember to ask my FBI colleagues when the IRS changed
their procedure. After all we both work for the government so there are no
secrets between us. (Okay so I lied a little).
Silence
continues.
Me: For a supervisor attempting to collect $7,000 you really don’t say very
much do you?”
Click.
Now if only those
pesky vacuum cleaner salesmen or Jehovah Witnesses were that easy to get rid
of.
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