Panel hears ‘harassment’ by IRS-hired private debt collector
Source: By DANIEL FRIEDMAN, Federal Times, May 24, 2007
Whether Congress will revoke the Internal Revenue Service’s authorization to hire private debt collectors remains to be seen, but at least one citizen has had it with the initiative. t a May 23 House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the program, Democrats played recordings of calls to a debtor from employees at CBE Group, one of two private companies contracted through an IRS pilot program to collect small tax debts for commissions.
Employees left voice mails identifying themselves by first name only and telling the unnamed debtor to call a toll-free number regarding a “personal business matter.” When he called to demand an end to the “harassment,” an operator politely declined to provide information on the company until the man confirmed his Social Security number or address. The caller refused due to concerns about identify theft.