Missing $4K tax payment sparks months-long mystery
KYW
By Joshua Sidorowicz
Click here for updates on this story
PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Yilber Feruku diligently pays the tax bill on his Northeast Philadelphia home early every year and says this time was no different.
“We work hard for our money, and I don’t want to pay any interest on anything,” he said. “We cannot even afford it. I have a daughter that goes to medical school.”
Feruku paid his $4,552 property tax bill in January, two months before it was due.
“We don’t want to have to think about bills when we go to sleep,” he said.
So he was shocked to find a balance on his account that was accruing interest when he checked it several months later.
When he called the city, he said he was told they had no record of his payment.
“I was kind of [like], ‘What the hell is going on?'” Feruku said.
What followed was a months-long runaround that left Feruku feeling hopeless until he contacted In Your Corner.
“I have sent at least 30 emails, I have talked to 30 different people,” he said. “They told me that somebody will reach out to you in two days, and then two days went by, two weeks went by, two months went by, no answer at all.”
Feruku even went to his bank, which confirmed the city had withdrawn the money from his checking account. He provided the statement to the city — still, nothing.
By June, Feruku said he was so frustrated and ready to give up, he gave in and paid his balance again, this time with more than $200 in interest.
“It’s like at some point you just want to give up, but it’s hard-earned money,” he said.
That’s when he contacted In Your Corner.
CBS News Philadelphia reviewed his documentation and contacted the city’s revenue department on Feruku’s behalf.
Within a week, the city confirmed it had, in fact, received the January payment.
In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Department of Revenue said, “Thank you for bringing the matter to our attention. Upon review of the account … our research found that the taxpayer used an incorrect Letter ID when making the payment.”
Any letter or notice you get from the Department of Revenue has a 10-digit Letter ID, according to the city. Taxpayers can use their Letter ID to make payments, respond to an inquiry, or provide requested documentation on the Philadelphia Tax Center website. The error caused the payment to be misapplied, according to the city, which confirmed the funds were now properly credited to Feruku’s account.
The spokesperson did not explain why the city didn’t work with Feruku initially to resolve the issue.
“I really appreciate and I cannot thank you enough,” Feruku said.
Feruku was given the option to either leave the second payment on his account to be applied to his next tax bill or get a refund. He opted for the refund.
So far in 2025, In Your Corner has helped recover more than $120,000 in money, goods and services owed to viewers.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.