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When Aaron Marks tried to electronically file his tax return last spring, it was rejected by IRS computers. The reason, according to the agency, was that someone had already filed a return using his Social Security number. Not to worry, an IRS operator told him on the phone, just mail in your tax return and it'll get fixed. "(The agent) acted like there was nothing to panic about," Marks said.
But a year later, the Boston resident still doesn't have his $2,000 tax refund.
About the same time Marks tried to file, IRS officials testified before the Senate Finance Committee about the problem of tax return ID theft. The committee heard horror stories about the ease of filing false tax returns, the criminals who essentially steal citizens' refunds, and about the thousands of Americans who sometimes spend years dealing with the fallout.
For years, tax return scams have been relatively easy to commit. Armed with a Social Security number and the right company tax ID, criminals could file a return and likely get a refund check, as long as they filed before the legitimate SSN user. In fact, many criminals exaggerated deductions or withholding amounts in the returns to get an even bigger refund check, causing further problems for the real taxpayer down the road.
IRS Commissioner Douglas H. Shulman, who had just taken office weeks before the April 11, 2008, hearing, pledged major changes to stem the growing problem. He promised a new identity theft investigation unit within the IRS and a new 1-800 number for victims. He also said the entire agency would be trained to better handle the problem.
"If you say the words 'identity theft,' you'll be sent to a person trained to deal with identity-theft victims," he pledged.
The changes have achieved mixed results.
The IRS launched its new unit, the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit. There's a Web site and a toll-free number for victims at 1-800-908-4490 that's staffed 12 hours per day.
Aaron Marks, however, still hasn't received his $2,000 from the 2007 tax year, or, his 2008 stimulus check. And this year, when he tried to electronically file, his return was again rejected. He called the IRS. An agent told him to paper file. He insisted that more action be taken. He demanded a manager. She told him his refund check was sent out last year, but wouldn't tell him where, or even confirm that it wasn't sent to his home address.
"Then she told me to tell the Federal Trade Commission," he said. When he filled out an FTC Identity Theft affidavit, he was then told to get a police report.
"The Boston PD aren't going to know what to do about this," he said. Including his expected refund from this year, Marks figures he's out $4,000 right now. Meanwhile, he figures, a criminal is running around with his tax refund.
"The only reason I found out about this was because I expected money back," he said. "Who knows how big this problem really is?"
The IRS says it knows, and it's miniscule. Spokeswoman Michelle Lamishaw said tax return ID theft hit a tiny fraction of 1 percent of all returns all returns last year.
"It is not what we consider widespread," she said. "But the impact on individuals we take very seriously." Lamishaw said she was unable to discuss Marks' situation because IRS agents are not allowed to publicly discuss any taxpayers' account.
'A huge potential to really address the problem'
Nina Olson runs the National Taxpayer Advocate Service, an agency that helps citizens engaged in entrenched battles with the IRS. A frequent critic of the agency, she gave it relatively high marks for its new identity theft initiatives.
The rest: http://redtape.msnbc.com/2009/04/when-aaron-mark.html
