The Slavery Tax Refund-Fiction!

The "Black Inheritance Tax/40 Acres and a Mule" Refund-Fiction!

Summary of eRumor:
The story is that the U.S. government has passed a bill to make things right with all descendants of slaves through a refund called the "Black Inheritance Tax Refund/40 Acres and a Mule." A telephone number is given, which, if you call, you'll receive a packet of information on how to receive the refund. The eRumor also says this was passed under President Bill Clinton, but the government does not want you to be educated about your rights, so there hasn't been much publicity about it.

The Truth:
This rumor has been making the rounds of the African American community for quite some time, but there is no current truth to it. It is the attempt to apply an order that was given by a Union general during the Civil War that some freed slaves were given 40 acres and a mule, but no longer has validity.

The Internal Revenue Service says scam artists have seized on the eRumor and have been charging people for arranging for them to get their refund. The IRS has discovered that it mistakenly paid more than $30 million to tax payers who claimed the non-existent slavery tax credits in 2000 and 20001. According to the IRS, more than 77,000 tax returns were received in 2001 that included the slavery tax credit that, if paid, would have added up to $2.7 billion. Most of them were based on a figure of $43,000 that Essence magazine suggested was the 1993 value of 40 acres and a mule.

A real example of the story as it has been circulated:

This goes out to all my friends, family, and everyone in the African
American community. Once you receive this message please write down the
number and then pass it along to every African American you know.As you my
know, all African Americans living here in the United States are
descendants
of slavery, therefore our government has finally passed a bill to pay all
descendants back. The way they are paying us back is through a refund
called
the, "Black Inheritance Tax Refund/40 Acres and a Mule". When you call
this
number you'll give them your name, address,
and phone number and they'll send you out a packet, which includes
further details and information on how to receive the refund. I was
informed that it will take only two weeks to receive the packet and
then two weeks to receive the money.

Now, if you know our government I bet they are not expecting alot of
people
to call for this refund, and they may be right, because many of us will
not
be informed of this. Therefore, this is why I am taking it upon myself to
pass on this information, so our community will soon be informed through
word-of-mouth about what has been owed to our ancestors all these years.

Black Inheritance Tax Refund
1-800-441-5629 press #3 to direct you to the appropriate line open between
7am and 12am (EST)West Coast: 4am and 9pm
Expect to wait anywhere from 5mins-25mins (There will not be any music to
entertain you while you wait!)

Ps: You must be 18 years or older and I'm assuming a legal residence of
the
United States. So, request an application for yourself, husband, wife,
sister, brother, father, mother, etc, or just pass the number along.

I had this checked out and it is legit. When I called the number,the lady
said that some people have already began receiving their checks. She said
that President Clinton wrote the bill and it has finally been passed. The
IRS will not tell you these things,because they don't won't us to be
education about our rights.

She said to make sure you fill the application out accurately and
completely, because if not the application will be not be processed.

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