We’ve all been there. Someone from some random, unknown number gives us a ring and then accuses us of committing some type of tax fraud. Which, at least for most of us, isn’t the case – especially considering a lot of the time these calls come in before tax season. So, what does that mean? It has to be another one of those annoying phone scams.
Most people either hang up or scream, telling the scammer not to call again, and go about their day. But, one woman responded how we’ve all wanted to – except the difference is that she actually had the guts to follow through with it.
Telemarketers often get a bad rep. Before sharing the phone thread with us she made a note that there is a difference between normal telemarketers and those who participate in phone scams regarding taxes and IRS.
Normal telemarketers are making a living like the rest of us. Annoying? Perhaps, but still fine and legal. However, phone scams like this one, people who accuse people of defaulting on taxes and collecting money over the phone from said scams are illegal.
Some notes, though: I understand and respect that telemarketers (that's what they are) are just trying to do their jobs. We all have bills to pay. But the IRS phone scam is actually illegal and using threats of police violence or physical violence via the phone is illegal.
— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
Someone of the latter group called @twittysuch and informed her that she had defaulted on her tax payments.
What was her response? Pure gold.
It finally happened. I finally got a call from a scammer claiming to be the IRS and I could finally pull all of the tax law and privacy law I know out of my brain. This is a good day. This is MY day, people.
— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
She shared the hilarious, embarrassing transcript on Twitter:
THREAD — SUMMARIZED TRANSCRIPT
-I receive a phone call from someone with a Maryland phone number, they identify themselves as being from the IRS and that I have “defaulted” on my tax payments for 2017.— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
Considering that uh…tax day isn't even here yet and I know the IRS will never call you, I decided to put it on speaker phone and fire up Ye Olde Audacity to entertain myself while I wait for my morning tea to steep.
— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
Serious accusations, right? She proceeded to totally school this phone scammer:
Honestly, this woman is all of us.
Me: I defaulted on my tax payments? That sounds serious. Why wasn't I ever sent a bill?
Person: You can take care of it over the phone with me. We take most major credit cards and prepaid Visa gift cards
Me: I'm gonna stop you right there. I want to know why I wasn't sent a bill.— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
Person: We send several bills, you ignored them.
Me: Did I? I think I would have remembered getting a bill from the IRS.
Person: You chose to ignore them.
Me: No, I don't think I'd ignore a CP523. It's a pretty distinct looking envelope.— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
Person: No, we sent you a bill and–
Me: It's called a CP523.
Person: What.
Me: The IRS doesn't send “bills”. They're not Comcast. They send a CP523. I DID throw away a coupon for one of those Casper mattresses.— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
Person: Ma'am, if you don't take this seriously, we can send the police–
Me: No, you can't.
Person: I WILL SEND THE POLICE.
Me: Ok, send them. I'll be waiting.
Person: -silence-
Me: I hear sirens, is that them? (I live next to a fire station) Is that….the police?— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
She finished them once and for all:
Bet these people won’t ever call her number again. Heck, this might’ve shut down their scam completely!
Person: -silence-
Me: Do y'all take PayPal?
Person: No.
Me: What about bitcoin?
Person: We can take–
Me: You're committing a federal crime. Did you know that? Did you know you're breaking the law and you're not very good at it?
Person: *hangs up*–END THREAD–
— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
Needless to say she has since been appointed a real-life superhero:
“Did you know that you’re breaking the law and you’re not very good at it?” I am envisioning you dropping into call centers alla Spiderman and saying that loudly. Everybody panics and turns to find you watching them, dangling from the ceiling, severely disapproving.
— Nicole Brinkley (@nebrinkley) April 3, 2018
Not all heroes wear capes!
— Have a lil Hart (@ScratchKitty) April 3, 2018
She spilled scorching hot tea all over the place, and people of the internet are loving it:
You deserve an award with a standing ovation!
— LAM (@xolaura) April 4, 2018
I’m going to live vicariously through you fulfilling my dream of spilling unwarranted knowledge of a random and vague topic to someone who didn’t deserve it really
— Cate C (@catie_cat_3183) April 3, 2018
this made my day “How about BitCoin”
— Shrazz_ (@Shrazz2) April 3, 2018
There are a ton of different ways to handle one of these illegal scam calls:
You could also go the talking-to-a-terrible-ex route, as Lea did. Smart cookie, indeed.
I always pretend that the guy on the other end is some guy I dumped in high school, or who dumped me. “I know it's you, Joe! Why did it take you 30 years call? You owe me an apology!”
— Lea Conner (@leaconner) April 4, 2018
But no one will ever handle it as well as @twittysuch did.
She is the level of over-it we should all aspire to be.
An Aside: I'm currently trying to figure out how to make the “I WILL SEND THE POLICE” my ringtone.
— Let's Make a Ha-Deel (@twittysuch) April 3, 2018
H / T – Twitter
