As tax attorneys
and individuals are working to complete their tax returns the IRS is sending a
message to tax cheats, showing them what happens when they cheat or commit
fraud.
The IRS said they charged 105 people in 23 states of fraud
and identity theft for filing false tax returns to obtain a refund. The people charged would steal a person’s
social security numbers to file fraudulent returns. The IRS is also
investigating cash checking businesses in 150 high risk areas to see if they knowingly
facilitated identity theft or refund fraud.
Last week’s sweep resulted in 939 criminal charges,
according to the Los Angeles Times. According to Reuters this prevented $1.9
billion in false tax refund payments for 2011.
The IRS received 260,000 bad returns last year, which is a
dramatic increase over 2010 when the IRS intercepted 50,000 false returns
totaling about $262 million.
Some people knowingly commit fraud when they file for taxes
and these individuals will face criminal charges when caught.
There are others however, who unknowingly file returns with
mistakes, and this can result in troubles with the IRS. Having a tax attorney complete return can
prevent any mistakes that can become a headache later on.
Aside from assisting with a tax return, a tax lawyer can help with criminal
charges or negotiate with the IRS to stop collection efforts, which can include
wage garnishment and seizure of ASSETS,
