Big brother thinks you are a liar

[Bagpuss]

Yes, just imagine if you'd run out of Special Brew and Lamberts on Wednesday, and you were still on the phone on Friday trying to sort out your next dole payment. High levels of stress indeed.

Dole isn't claimed from the council.

[Clippy]

I was under the impression our taxes paid their wages, hence we are the customer not the suspect.

Have you ever phoned your local council? Particularly the rates department.

A bigger bunch of rude, un-helpful, in-competent and paranoid feckwits you will not meet.

[TheFaQQer]

It isn't a polygraph though (no vital signs measurements), it measures the stress in your voice, that leaves it open to error. When people get angry they get stressed, talking to people at councils would have got mother teresa stressed.

That's why it's used as an indicator only, not a judgement of whether the caller is committing benefit fraud or whatever.

[Fishface]

can it be calibrated to distinct regional accents?

In the US people sound generally the same - so it may work.

If the system is calibrated to Brummige but someone with scowse accent phones in then the machine will go mental, erratic needle movements and guilty verdicts right away.

I can do an ace impression of a yorkshire accent - that'll fool 'em next time I am call CTAX to complain

[hyperD]

I phoned Surrey Trading Standards once about reporting a dodgy decorator. She was the most patronising, unhelpful condescending bint I've ever had the misfortune to phone.

I agree that as soon as you know it's the council on the phone, most people will get angry and stressed so voiding the test.

If not, then simply get your council tax bill and remember that the council tax increases in your area were not down to the fact that the government haven't provided enough cash, or it goes into their pensions...

...it's your money paying for all these new councils houses and housing benefit that has caused the year on year increases.

Don't believe me? Check out your council tax breakdown (if you can find it)

[Bagpuss]

New houses? I didn't think they were building new council houses just paying the private sector a fortune to make up the shortfall, brilliant for those with down market BTLs.

Re Cliphead, yes that's what I mean, most of the calls they deal with are from people trying to rectify their errors e.g being chased for council tax for properties you didn't live at when the bill was raised.
They are invariably smug, self righteous little Hitlers, now to think they will be operating like the SS interigators that they always aspired to be makes me sick.