Enraged taxpayers racing to beat the filing deadline took to Twitter to express their frustration after patiently waiting on hold with the IRS help line, only to be suddenly hung up on by the agency.
“The IRS phone line is literally impossible to get through to talk to a human. When it comes down to one or two options both get me hung up on,” said one aspiring filer.
“@IRS install more lines..hold for over an hour..and get hung up on..nice. Now, I get to start my HOLD PROCESS all over again..#NOTHAPPY,” said another.
The IRS phone line is literally impossible to get through to talk to a human.When it comes down to one or two options both get me hung up on
— Darth Booty (@RendertheBooty) April 4, 2016
@IRS install more lines..hold for over an hour..and get hung up on..nice. Now, I get to start my HOLD PROCESS all over again..#NOTHAPPY
— ljflagrl (@ljflagrl) March 21, 2016
Just spent 18 minute on hold with the #IRS to get my gosh darn electronic pin number and they hung up on me! #TimeI‘llNeverGetBack
— Michael Ryan (@YellowCab370) April 16, 2016
Called the IRS since I never got my refund check, got my info in only to be hung up by the automated system because traffic was too heavy
— Nate Saathoff (@NateTheDesigner) April 7, 2016
IRS site gave me error messages, tried calling but system is overwhelmed and hung up on me #rude #whatyearisit?
— LaurikaHK (@Laurikahk) April 12, 2016
The IRS uses “courtesy disconnects” to hang up on callers when wait times are long. Yes, you read that correctly: “Courtesy Disconnects” is the official term used by the agency.
In 2015, the IRS not-so-courteously disconnected 8.8 million taxpayers, according to the National Taxpayer Advocate.
The problem continued into 2016, even at the beginning of filing season:
Not a joke: When you are on hold with the IRS too long now, they give you a “courtesy disconnect.” Click!
— David Rytell (@DRytell) January 21, 2016
If you are on hold 90 minutes with the #IRS their system disconnects you. It’s happened to me 5 times. They call it a “courtesy disconnect”
— Jackson Ross (@secondsunrising) January 5, 2016