Couple in the cooler for sucking $1m out of Uncle Sam via IRS 'Get Transcript' scam Two people have been jailed for their involvement in a scam that exploited the US IRS "Get Transcript" website to defraud the American government. A couple from Austell, Georgia, laundered more than $1m as part of a larger swindle that abused weaknesses in the taxmen's website to get the personal data needed to file fraudulent …
"These schemes create nightmares for citizens who endure the process of repairing their credit and IRS returns, and this case reflects law enforcement's commitment to punish these criminals and do all we can to prevent further victims."
Friends & family were hit by this, so forgive me for feeling the sentence should be 10 years hard labor with no early release. The couple deserve to forfeit their privacy too, but are news sites even showing a photo of the crims??? But hey, no guns are involved so I guess it doesn't count. (Still feels like the crime of our time)
80 months and $2 MEEEELLION restitution. There's only one way they can possibly come up with that kind of money when they get out of prison: MOAR FRAUD!!
I feel the blame is misplaced. The IRS is moronic, and takes orders from Congress. Leave these innocent criminals alone and go after the kingpins!
Once a few gov't officials that permitted this to happen cool their heels in the same cell as the curious citizens that discovered the flaw, the hole will tighten up quicker than any other sphincter that is approached by probing inquisitors.
I hope that the citizens whose identities were falsely used receive every cent of their refunds when they file genuine returns immediately, without waiting for the money to be recovered from the criminals. The IRS is the entity that accepted the false filings, it, and not they, should be the victim.
The same should apply in similar cases involving banks.
Entities like this can control their choice of security measures; if they fail to adequately verify the identity of people making withdrawals or whatever, they need to be the ones responsible.
His daughter is trying to go to college. College being expensive, she applied for financial aid. This requires that you submit a copy of your tax return. Which he cannot do, because the IRS has locked down his account, since false returns have been filed for the last two years. And IRS won't do anything to make his life easier (come on, it's the IRS...). Needless to say, he's a bit upset.
IRS won't allow him to file his taxes until they finish investigating the false return. And as to any refund he might be due? Well, that was paid to the filer of the false return, so he has to wait for that as well.
No, they don't do anything to make your life easier if you're hit by this. And apparently, these scammers are numerous and getting more efficient every year.
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