I came out of class one day to find that I had a missing call on my phone. I was not familiar with the number, so I decided to listen to the voicemail the caller left. An automated voice said, “Hello, this is the IRS and we have previously tried to contact you about not properly filing your taxes. This is the final call. If you do not call back this number, we will have to press charges against you and you will be put to court.”

I was terrified when I heard this. I didn’t know anything about the IRS or about taxes, and the thought of me getting arrested was terrifying.

So that’s when I made my mistake. I called back the number. A man picked up and began to manipulate me into thinking that he worked for the IRS and that I owed them money. With his condescending voice, he convinced me that if I did not buy multiple “google play cards” with hundreds of dollars on it, I would be arrested. And I fell for it. He went as far as to pretend to “change calls” to a fake police officer and even a courthouse officer who was working at Washington D.C. that would yell at me if I questioned his authority and threaten to put me to jail.

Every time I would begin to feel scared, they would yell at me to stop crying and continue to do what they say or that I would be in serious trouble. They said that if I cooperate, I will get my money back. I never did. I wasted hours giving these scammers money because I believed that I was paying off the money I supposedly owed.

If anyone ever gets any of these calls, please never take them seriously. These are terrible people.

Michelle Harrison 

This letter was edited for content and clarity.