I've been getting mail forwarded to me from my old address for nearly a year now. Every so often, an important letter comes in but most of the mail I receive is junk. I'm so glad I investigated the letter I received yesterday, though, or it would have gone straight in the trash and I would have been in some big trouble.
What would you think of this letter if you received it in the mail? Would you think it was junk mail?
The letter came in one of those types of letters you have to fold the edges and tear them on perforation to open, kind of like a paycheck. Before I threw it in the trash, I thought I'd give it a look.
Here's what I found:
I immediately thought this was a scam. I'd seen something on Channel 6 a few months ago where people were cutting and pasting the City logo and other things into form letters so that they could steal your identity or sign you up for some hair-brained scheme.
The contents of the letter claimed that I owned a business (???) and that I owed money to the Philadelphia Board of Revenue (which exists) and that if I didn't pay up by June 25th, I'd be fined $5,000 or, worse, serve some jail time. I initially thought it was a bunch of horse poop.
Even the letter itself was suspect, as the return address was from Michigan:
My quick-thinking fiancee was there for all of this and she picked up the phone to call the toll-free number listed in the letter. She requested that they give her an area code 215 number to call back on, to find out if they were really in Philly. The people on the other end of the phone put her on hold. They said they didn't have a 215 number. When they came back to the line, my fiancee asked them why the letter is from Michigan and not Philadelphia.
Long story short, it turns out this is sort of a scam. The City of Philadelphia - a place where Mayor Nutter constantly says the City is starving to create jobs - hired a company in Michigan to do their dirty work. After personally speaking to these people on the phone, it turns out that I made $25 last year freelancing for a local newspaper while I was unemployed and that I didn't report it to the Philadelphia Board of Revenue. How the hell was I supposed to know to do that? I've never been anywhere where I've been 1099'ed and had to call some kind of organization like that.
I have to pay the taxes on $25, yes $25, or I will be fined $5,000. Seems like the City of Philadelphia is putting one over on the residents here, people who maybe are trying to make some extra cash on the side.
The letter seems intentionally designed to look like junk mail so people throw it away. Instant cash register for the City. Those are low-life scam artist tactics at best.
The City is so hard up for money, allegedly, that they are going after people who owe them tiny amounts of money. And the City's claims that the government can't create jobs is suspect too: again, they hired a company in Michigan to mail these letters out. How many unemployed people in Philadelphia would love to have a gig like that?
So, I was half right. It wasn't junk mail but the letter sure is a scam.
- AP
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Comments
All this time you've been living large on that 25.00 unreported income...looks like your days are numbered Aaron. Why can't Philly get itself an honest mayor?---seems like one con job mayor after another.
Haha seriously, Slevin. What the heck is a "Board of Revenue" anyways? Sounds like it should be the "Ministry of Revenue". Can't be doing man on the street articles and not telling the City! Philly get an honest mayor? No opposition party/ies. They all moved to the suburbs. The Mob is gone but we still have Unions (same thing). The Mayor is like Doctor Who..ever since Goode, they've just been regenerating. Different face, same person.
This is bleeping crazy! A pathetic scam but with a touch of evil...kudos to Kat for being a smart cookie!
@Nicole - Crazy isn't even the half of it. This is a scam and I'm wondering what other cities/states do this.
Philly got rid of the mob? That's not what my friend Big Sal says. Hell, everyone says. Last time I was there that former hot dog hawker was mayor (and under federal indictment). I got the feeling he wasn't really in charge.
Accidentally posted my reply to Slevin on the wrong article, sorry.
Oh the Mob is still around, just kinda..there..maybe... "on leave" is the right word? They're around, they don't do much anymore, petty gambling stuff. The Unions run the government and they're worse. Haha, you're talking about John Street. Yep, he was a shady one. Nutter's no better. Looks like Goode's soon will be Mayor next.
You should really do a Poll to see how many people have received this letter. It seems like the City needs a Class Action Suit filed over this BS. No one outside of Philly can even believe this exists- sort of like the beer case thing!!!
I live in Philly...The mob is still around, they're just the "kindler, gentler, more diversified, more "run like a corporation" mob...
My old neighbor handled bookmaking operations for the mob...nice guy, good neighbor....but I never played cards with him.
Oh, and Nutter is a total nutter - F him and his anti gun ways.
@Jeremy - Thanks for the tip. As long as they're not bothering anyone, they seem to be less criminal than the Unions and Nutter.
@Caitlin - There needs to be an opposition in Philly, not these RINOs who are just as bad as the Democrats.
I bet the Mayor of the "city of brotherly love" has some unpaid taxes. I wouldn't send it. Tell them to go f themselves.
@Bob: I'd do that only if very few people didn't speak out against the Regime here in Philadelphia. I'm one of a loud but small majority, they probably already know who I am, unfortunately.
so why do city people and journalist vote for democrats to run the cities? they all promise to raise taxes. it is your patriotic duty to pay 12.00 tax on that 25.00
City people vote for Democrats because Dems put on a facade that they're "for" poor people and the working class. They make conservatives, libertarians like me seem like we're nuts, racist, etc... I mean, seriously, ask an average Democrat what a Republican is. They will think country clubs and suburbia..people don't realize there are Conservative-minded individuals in the Cities, fighting against this nonsense..and I'm losing my battle severely. People don't realize less government means more ingenuity.
I received a letter like this as well. AFter a bunch of run-around, I was told I needed to purchase a business license for $300.00. So......anyone out there....where should I go from here?
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