The Internal Revenue Service says there has been a big jump in thieves stealing Social Security numbers to fraudulently claim tax refunds.
The agency said it launched 1,492 criminal investigations into identity theft last year, a 66 percent increase from the year before. Prosecutions and indictments more than doubled. The numbers dwarf those from just two years ago.
In all, the agency said Tuesday it has flagged 14.6 million suspicious tax returns since 2011, blocking more than $50 billion in fraudulent refunds.
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen told reporters this week that stopping identity theft is a top priority for the agency. A recent inspector general’s report said the IRS is stepping up efforts to fight identity theft but thieves are getting more aggressive.
(AP)
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2 Responses
If someone hijacks your credit card info, you can get a new number.
If someone gets your social security #, you are stuck with the problems for the rest of your life.
Yet every time someone on Medicare goes to the doctor they are forced to give their social security number, because that’s your medicare number. You are supposed to carry the Medicare card in your wallet any time you might go to a doctor. The same number we are otherwise told NOT to carry in case your wallet is lost or stolen.
That needs to be changed.
There have already been cases of medical practice employees selling the numbers.
We are 1 of these tragic 1492 cases.
Even though ironically, it is our tax money which will have to pay to keep these scampers in jail, lock them up for a very long time.