I seem to remember receiving a call from them asking where my bank accounts were, and refusing to tell them, and eventually they deducted it from a tax refund I had coming. Of course, in today's freedom, they know where every cent of yours is already, thanks to ChoicePoint and the "Patriot" Act.
It was within their power to do more dramatic things, like seize property and auction it off for the $14.93 you owed. But I don't recall them doing that for phone tax (they did it to some people who refused to pay income tax). But with today's regime, they might do that just because they thought it was fun, or because they thought God told them to do it.
Maybe it's just my age, or maybe times have changed for the worse, but I find myself feeling nostalgic about a thug like Nixon, and that's scary.
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And maybe my age also; and I am convinced things _have_ changed considerably for the worst, 'Patriot Act' and credit bureau file break-ins not withstanding. It may be also that in my old age, and diseased brain, I have become much more radicalized than I ever use to be, back in the days when I had the full use of my whole body and brain. They can't hurt me any longer, so I just speak the truth as I know it. I mean, what would happen to me now; would they execute me? PAT]