Thieves Steal Confidential Taxpayer Info Via IRS Website

Just when you thought you were safe to access important and confidential information via the IRS website, it turns out scammers are at it again. According to reports from the IRS, thieves have managed to break into one of the government agency’s website services and steal the confidential information of thousands of taxpayers.
In fact, according to reports, the IRS says that the personal information of more than 100,000 taxpayers has been compromised. The idea behind the scam is to steal people’s private information in order to use the victims’ identities to then file false tax returns. The scam occurred through the IRS’s “Get Transcript” service, where taxpayers are able to access their returns and other filings from prior tax years.
According to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen these scammers are not amateurs. They appear to part of a large criminal syndicate that is attacking the entire financial industry in an effort to defraud both taxpayers and the government of millions.
The IRS discovered the issue after technicians noticed a large bump in the number of taxpayers that were asking for transcripts. While this kind of elaborate tax fraud continues to increase, the IRS claims that so far this year tax scammers have successfully claimed less than $50 million via false tax returns. However this new threat appears to very complex and the information that has been stolen could also be used in future tax seasons to defraud the IRS and taxpayers out of even more money.
Effective Uses of Trusts in Estate & Gift Tax Planning
Effective Uses of Trusts in Estate & Gift Tax Planning Function of Estates An estate is a legal entity that originates upon the death of an individual. An estate is set up to administer all legal affairs of the decedent to be settled and to distribute the assets owned by the decedent. Once all estate…
Real Home Owners Relief
Real Home Owners Relief The sub-prime mortgage debacle is still playing out nationwide, with new home sales plummeting 61 percent since January, foreclosure rates doubling, and the number of borrowers 90-days or more in areas growing. In Northern California, East Bay homeowners – particularly, those residing in Contra Costa County, where many buyers make their…
8 Steps for Getting Out of Debt
8 Steps for Getting Out of Debt The average American spends a great deal more than they make every year. This results in a financial pitfall later in life. If you find yourself digging deeper into the empty wallet, here are ten steps you can use as a crutch to help free yourself of the…
6 Tips to Consider When Faced With Foreclosure
6 Tips to Consider When Faced With Foreclosure By Alan L. Olsen, CPA, MBA (tax) Managing Partner Greenstein, Rogoff, Olsen & Co., LLP Updated: 10/9/12 Many find themselves faced with foreclosure in the world today. Sometimes the circumstances leading to foreclosure isn’t your fault. If faced with foreclosure, most likely you want to know what…