Media Articles
IRS reponse to Congresswoman Lois Frankel’s Letter
"In FY 2013, the IRS states that they increased the number and accuracy of filters that detect potential identity theft before they issue refunds. The IRS states that they stopped 5 million returns claiming $20 billion in fraudulent refunds in FY 2012, up from 3 million returns claiming $14 billion…
Attacks on Mail Carriers Increase – Trend Blamed on Rise in South Florida Identity Thieves
Sun-Sentinel, June 23, 2013 By Paula McMahon Staff writer It’s not only the glaring sun and the threat of dog bites that South Florida’s mail carriers must contend with as they go door to door delivering the mail — sometimes they come under physical attack from the people who live…
Identity Theft and Tax Fraud Ring Members Admit Guilt
U.S. Attorney’s Office May 30, 2013 · Northern District of Georgia (404) 581-6000 ATLANTA—Shawn Brown, Christopher Edwards, Kelly Sue Lonas, and Nyron Nelson pleaded guilty in federal district court for their roles in an identity theft and fraudulent tax return ring that sought millions of dollars in fraudulent refunds. “Those…
IRS Sent $46,378,040 in Refunds to 23,994 ‘Unauthorized’ Aliens at 1 Atlanta Address
(CNSNews.com) – The Internal Revenue Service sent 23,994 tax refunds worth a combined $46,378,040 to “unauthorized” alien workers who all used the same address in Atlanta, Ga., in 2011, according to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). That was not the only Atlanta address theoretically used by thousands…
Casey Calls for Creation of Multi-Agency Task Force to Fight Tax Fraud Tied to Identity Theft
Identity Theft Related Tax Fraud Doubled from 2010 to 2011 – Cost Taxpayers $5.2 Billion Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Proposal Could Aid Berks County Where Law Enforcement Has Fought to Combat Problem And Municipalities Across Commonwealth Washington DC – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) called for the creation of…
Baucus Takes IRS to Task over Identity Theft, Fraud
April 16, 2013 (Washington, D.C.) — Montana U.S. Senator Max Baucus called IRS Commissioner Steven Miller before his Committee today to explain what the IRS is doing to combat identity theft and tax fraud, which costs law-abiding taxpayers and the federal budget billions of dollars each year. At the same…
Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Widespread
Carolina Journal News Reports Durham scheme reaches several states, also federal returns By Don Carrington Apr. 29th, 2013 DURHAM — A stolen-identity tax refund scheme uncovered by a Durham retiree in March apparently is so widespread that one federal official has described it as the “No. 1 tax scam for…
Tax Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Identity Theft
Over $15 Million in Fraudulent Tax Refunds Filed for “Stimulus Payments” ATLANTA – Kevin J. Sonnier pleaded guilty today to filing false federal income tax returns using stolen identities that claimed millions of dollars in bogus refunds. “The career of a tax cheat who victimized over 15,000 individuals is over,”…
Examples of Identity Theft Schemes – Fiscal Year 2013
The following examples of identity theft schemes are written from public record documents on file in the court records in the judicial district in which the cases were prosecuted. Florida Woman Sentenced for Tax Fraud On May 9, 2013, in Tampa, Fla., Rhonda Yvette Brooks was sentenced to 42 months…
IRS Identity Theft Program Delays Some Refunds
The IRS Integrity and Verification Operations (IVO) group is delaying a number of taxpayer refunds to screen for identity theft and refund fraud. Taxpayers identified by the program may receive a "4464C" letter from IVO stating that their tax return is being thoroughly reviewed so that the IRS can "ensure…
Identity Theft-based Tax Refund Fraud
Identity theft-based tax refund fraud has increased substantially over the past couple of years according to the IRS. Identity thieves attempt to defraud the federal government of funds by filing fraudulent refund claims using another person’s identifying information, stolen from a variety of places. In 2012 the IRS took a…
Tax Refund Fraud and Identity Theft
WasteWatcher, May 2013 – April is the cruelest month for most taxpayers, but for a rowing number of them, it is the months that follow that do the most damage. Those unlucky thousands are the victims of tax refund fraud, a process in which a thief acquires someone else’s social security…
