Small Town News

Idaho Tax Commission guards against reported tax fraud

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The Idaho State Tax Commission is taking extra precautions against tax fraudsters, based on the experiences of Utah and other states in dealing with fraudulent income tax returns filed so far this tax season.

"We altered our refund process after learning that Utah had identified more than two dozen fraudulent returns," said Doreen Warren, Revenue Operations administrator for the Tax Commission. The Utah State Tax Commission issued a news release about the situation late Thursday, and other states were expected to follow suit.

"We want.to emphasize that, although tax fraud is a growing problem, we have strong processes in place to deal with it, and we're constantly improving those processes," said Rich Jackson, chairman of the Idaho State Tax Commission.

"We view the protection of Idaho taxpayer information as a sacred trust," said Jackson, "and we're doing everything in our power to thwart fraud schemes as they evolve."

Warren said the Idaho State Tax Commission confirmed 1,115 fraudulent tax returns filed last year for the 2014 tax year. By catching those returns before refunds went out, the agency saved the state nearly $ 1.4 million in taxpayer money.

Taxpayers who are concerned about the security of the information they provide to a tax preparation software service should contact that provider. Others with questions can call the Tax Commission toll-free at (800) 972-7660.



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