Every year, thousands of California residents become victims of tax fraud. Whether it’s having your identity stolen or filing a false tax return, these crimes can have serious consequences. Fortunately, there are concrete steps you can take to protect yourself and seek justice. Let’s take a look at what tax fraud is, how to spot it, and what to do in extreme situations. We’ll also tell you how the KAASS LAW firm can help you in this situation.
Tax refund fraud is a felony. Attackers use someone else’s personal information to illegally obtain tax refunds.
There are cases where scammers:
It is especially important to be careful if you live in California. This state leads the United States in the number of tax crimes committed.
You may not even realize that someone has already managed to file a tax return on your behalf.
Here are some factors to look out for:
If you experience any of these signs, you should seek help immediately.
1. Contact the IRS
The first thing you should do is contact the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) immediately. You can:
This form is especially important – it triggers an internal investigation and helps close the fake account.
2. Notify your local police
Even if a tax crime is committed online, file a police report. This is especially important in California, where tax crimes are often linked to other types of fraud, such as credit fraud. You can also use the police report as evidence when you file complaints with other agencies.
3. Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The FTC maintains a centralized resource for victims of identity theft. There you can:
After contacting the IRS and the police, it is highly recommended that you freeze your credit history. At all three major credit bureaus:
This step will prevent new credit, credit cards and loans from being processed in your name. A credit freeze is free in California. You can also request a fraud alert, which alerts lenders to possible fraudulent activity on your profile.
The sooner you act, the less you have to lose. In addition to losing your tax refund, tax fraud can also cause you to:
Some consequences can last for years. The key to minimizing the damage is to seek help early. In complex cases, where the fraud has resulted in additional criminal charges, having an experienced attorney can be a powerful factor.
If you are facing a similar problem, the experts of KAASS LAW firm are ready to help you.
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