HOUSTON – The IRS begins processing tax returns on Jan. 20. The government agency says getting your return in early could mean the difference between you getting the money and someone else collecting it for you. Tax return fraud is one of the largest growing crimes, mostly because it is so easy.
Prosecutors say 29-year-old Houstonian Thalia Diaz Camareno and her boyfriend stole hundreds of identities, filed fake tax returns and cashed more than $807,096 in refund checks between June 2010 and January 2012. She's now awaiting trial in federal court in Houston.
But the IRS says there are hundreds of scammers duplicating the crime she's charged with. It's tax return fraud.
All a thief needs is your Social Security number to electronically file your tax return before you do. Investigators say they use a phony wage and tax withholding figures; and then ask the IRS to send the refund to a debit card or an address or PO Box they control.
There are some steps you can take to decrease your chances of becoming a victim of this crime:
- File early so that your real return is processed first.
- Guard your Social Security number.
- If you mail your return, don't leave it in your mailbox for the carrier. Drop it off in a secure box like at the post office.
If you believe you've been the victim of ID theft, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490 so they can secure your tax account before there's a problem.
The IRS does investigate and solve many tax return fraud cases, but some of them take about 180 days to resolve. That means you're also left waiting for your refund.