Tax fraud has been a problem almost since people have been required to pay taxes. As a New York Criminal Lawyer also claimed that, the problem has been even more prevalent in the electronic age. This is due, in large part, to the many places that we do business on the Internet that collect our vital information and store it as part of a normal business transaction. Electronic information gathering is not the only method that criminals use to collect our private information, however. Thieves have been scouring trash bins and mailboxes during tax season for many years, and the problem has only grown worse.
Many citizens in one state in particular have been learning of the problem firsthand. Citizens from the State of Georgia have been reporting increasing instances of receiving tax bills that have caught them by surprise. These are also the same citizens who have been filing their taxes regularly and have had no problems either with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or with their Georgia state income tax. Recently it has been learned of one such man who discovered too late that a 26-year old illegal immigrant had been arrested for using his Social Security number when he applied for work in a nearby county. It is also believed that this same illegal immigrant is why the Georgia man had recently received a tax bill from the IRS for $3,434.
Unfortunately, stories like his are not uncommon. During the 2010 tax season, the State of Georgia’s Revenue Department reportedly detected at least 52,000 fraudulent tax returns that totaled approximately $41 million in tax refunds. Those returns are only the returns that were detected; sources indicated.
While tax scammers are growing in number, there are certain measures that can be taken in order to protect your identity. The IRS and every state tax revenue department maintains a list of these steps and makes them freely available on their websites. One of the most important points to remember is never give your vital information to someone that you do not know, and take extra precautions when mailing your returns. One of the most important suggestions they offer is do not mail your return from your home mailbox, as thieves do pilfer through mailboxes during tax season in search of returns and refund checks.
If you or someone you love are facing criminal charges, you need to consult with a Nassau County Criminal Attorney for a consultation right now because everything you do today can help your case get resolved favorably for you.