Phone call solicitations to tax folks

[FEDUKE404]

Today I received yet another "we want to sell you something" telephone call from a tax-related business.

I had never dealt with this firm in any way, so it was a cold (unsolicited) call. When I reminded the caller I am on the nationwide "do not call" list, her (standard) comment was "We were not aware of that...."

Since we have to provide an accurate business address, telephone number, and email address to the IRS.....and now the IRS "sells" that (PTIN?) information to vendors (how many emails have you received? ) I am not sure there is a lot we can do as tax professionals to avoid this nuisance.

Any suggestions?

FE

[Jiggers]

Caller ID.

If I don't recognize the name or number, I just don't answer.

[erchess]

The law that requires the IRS to give out our info is the Freedom of Information Act. If our professional organizations made doing so enough of a priority the Act could be amended to say that Tax Professionals may restrict who can get their info from the IRS. Of course if not every tom **** and harry can get our info then it might not be possible for clients checking us out to verify that we have whatever credentials we say we do. So I am not sure there is a perfect solution.

[Golden Rocket]

We are a commercial enterprises

whether we think of ourselves in those terms or not.

As such, the "do not call" register protection does not apply to us.

Even for private residence numbers, there is no protection, as there has not been any
money appropriated for enforcement.

Any of you get any good results when reporting these nuisance-makers to the authorities?
Do you even know where to go to get enforcement?

[erchess]

I do not know where to report calls in violation of the do not call rules. I also do not know where to report spam emails which are a much bigger problem for me.

[DaveO]

I have filed complaints with the FTC with limited luck. Not much can be done about the office calls since we are a business. However at home I have a couple of methods that have worked quite well.

If it is a female caller I let her complete he opening speal and in my best pervert voice I ask, "So what are you wearing?"

If the first option didn't stop them or I have warned them previously I go to plan "B". I have my old referee whistle by the phone and once they pause I give them a blast on it. Very few call back for a second time.

[taxea]

whether we think of ourselves in those terms or not.

As such, the "do not call" register protection does not apply to us.

Even for private residence numbers, there is no protection, as there has not been any
money appropriated for enforcement.

Any of you get any good results when reporting these nuisance-makers to the authorities?
Do you even know where to go to get enforcement?

1. they are not supposed to call business offices
2. I disagree that the do not call list does not protect us
3. You report them to FTC and/or Secret Service
4. If you have ever, in your life, donated anything charities are exempt from the do not call list and just as a warning there is one out there that claims they have no way of taking you off the list if you request it because, they claim, that each office is totally separate......and this is a well-known national or international charity! I definately will never donate to them again and I am still waiting for them to delete me as I only donated one item to one location on one occurance 15 years ago and still can't get them to stop calling me.

I have had great results registering all of my phone numbers with the do not call list....and if you get a call you should tell them to take you off of their "in-house" list.

[Roberts]

The National Do Not Call List is only applicable to HOME phone numbers and personal cell phones. If you list the number as your business phone number with the IRS, the list is no longer applicable to you.

From the FCC website: "While you may be able to register a business number, your registration will not make telephone solicitations to that number unlawful."

Business to business phone calls are not subject to the Do Not Call List restrictions. If you don't want calls coming to you, set up a free Google phone number and give it to the IRS next time you register. The calls will be routed there and you can delete the messages very easily.

[FEDUKE404]

However

The National Do Not Call List is only applicable to HOME phone numbers and personal cell phones. If you list the number as your business phone number with the IRS, the list is no longer applicable to you.

From the FCC website: "While you may be able to register a business number, your registration will not make telephone solicitations to that number unlawful."

Business to business phone calls are not subject to the Do Not Call List restrictions. If you don't want calls coming to you, set up a free Google phone number and give it to the IRS next time you register. The calls will be routed there and you can delete the messages very easily.

For some of us, our business and home address/telephone number ARE the same. . .

Regardless of any "justification" I just don't enjoy having every tax software company and/or CE vendor in the country calling me. As for what arrives from them via snail mail, that just automatically goes into the recycle bin.

FE

[Roberts]

For some of us, our business and home address/telephone number ARE the same. . .

Regardless of any "justification" I just don't enjoy having every tax software company and/or CE vendor in the country calling me. As for what arrives from them via snail mail, that just automatically goes into the recycle bin.

FE

When you notify the IRS that your home phone is how they should contact you for business, why do you complain when companies call you to do business?

[FEDUKE404]

Answer

When you notify the IRS that your home phone is how they should contact you for business, why do you complain when companies call you to do business?

[rant]

Because I personally feel that unsolicited telephone sales calls to my business phone, cellular phone, home phone, local telegraph office, or at my front door are unnecessary wastes of my time.

Same for spam emails and USPS "junk mail" with a similar purpose.

And, for my additional 2¢ worth, I also have a real problem with the IRS now providing ( = selling) my business contact information to vendors to be used for those purposes.

[/rant]

Of course, it's not overly difficult to rely on my cell phone (IRS and its vendors don't have that...yet) and just not answer the landline unless there is a clear reason (new Schedule C deduction - Caller ID !!) to do so!

FE

[smithtax]

How to handle unsolicited telephone calls

Personally I put them on hold indefinitely. But then it's just me & the wife in our office.

I have friends that work for larger companies who simply transfer them from one person to another just for the fun of it.

[Roberts]

Because I personally feel that unsolicited telephone sales calls to my business phone, cellular phone, home phone, local telegraph office, or at my front door are unnecessary wastes of my time.
FE

So you've never called another accountant or business when they weren't expecting your call?
that's an unsolicited call.
How about when a prospective client calls and wants to set up an appointment. Do you feel that's also a burden of your time that you would like to avoid in the future?

[FEDUKE404]

Quoting the friend of Charlie Brown

So you've never called another accountant or business when they weren't expecting your call?
that's an unsolicited call.
How about when a prospective client calls and wants to set up an appointment. Do you feel that's also a burden of your time that you would like to avoid in the future?

GOOD GRIEF !!!

SALESMEN.......Dude.......SALESMEN !!!!

(The examples you cite are what most of us here would refer to as the "ordinary course of business" calls.

FE

[Black Bart]

So you've never called another accountant or business when they weren't expecting your call?
that's an unsolicited call.
How about when a prospective client calls and wants to set up an appointment. Do you feel that's also a burden of your time that you would like to avoid in the future?

Quoting the friend of Charlie Brown

GOOD GRIEF !!!

SALESMEN.......Dude.......SALESMEN !!!!
FE

Roberts:
With regard to who/why/what the Duke is saying about telemarketers, here's another quote (don't remember who said it, but it's apt) that applies -- to you: "If you don't know the answer to that, then I can't explain it to you."