Accountant: "I've got some bad news..."

....someone filed a tax return with my Social. IRS is "looking into it." Remember that scene in the Big Lebowski where the dude goes to pick up his car? I want to go after someone's face with a berkeleying mini-sledge. berkeleying loser leach moocher motherberkeleyers. It seems like half the world just has zero dignity.

Whoa. So, I have to guess they were after a refund. How does that work - IRS gets two, one from you, one from them and yours is consistent with addresses, previous filings and signature but somehow you are involved?

If this causes you a great deal of headaches - let me know. I will add it to my "Revenge berkeley" list of tricks right next to canceling auto insurance and leaving a can of anal lube on the bosses desk when leaving on Friday.

or, the most likely scenario is that somebody put in the wrong social security number by mistake. Best to look at your credit report if you haven't already done so. Also could be an illegal with forged info to appear legal in the states. I'm betting the IRS will hammer the person if there is a way to find them, and it isn't a simple mistake.

@ GPS:

WOW.

Yeah, because the business return is complicated, we usually file for an extension. They all get done at the same time (right around now.) So, my LEGIT return was rejected because someone else already filed a return. Accountant is telling me "Don't bother contacting the IRS, we're handling it," but as good as they are, this is the first time they've dealt with this, and I'm scared that there's E36 M3 I'm supposed to be doing that I haven't done.

I did check with the big 3, and my credit is still 100%. Now trying to figure out if I want to do fraud alert or all out credit "freeze."

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: If this causes you a great deal of headaches - let me know. I will add it to my "Revenge berkeley" list of tricks right next to canceling auto insurance and leaving a can of anal lube on the bosses desk when leaving on Friday.

dont forget how much fun it is to sign someone up for a few dozen subscriptions to one of those ...ahem..."alternative" type of "body building" magazines

sachilles wrote: or, the most likely scenario is that somebody put in the wrong social security number by mistake. Best to look at your credit report if you haven't already done so. Also could be an illegal with forged info to appear legal in the states. I'm betting the IRS will hammer the person if there is a way to find them, and it isn't a simple mistake.

I don't think that's a very likely scenario, as they'd have to have my NAME on the return as well. Apparently it's becoming more and more common, and living in North Georgia, yes, prejudice as it may be, the image in my head is of some non-english speaking motherberkeleyer in a trailer park in Norcross using my tax return for drinking money...they do it to their own kids ferchrissake. I want to beat this fictitious character like a berkeleying pinata till the candy falls out. (I know, I know; in reality, it's probably my white trash neighbor across the street that did it.)

poopshovel wrote: @ GPS: WOW. Yeah, because the business return is complicated, we usually file for an extension. They all get done at the same time (right around now.) So, my LEGIT return was rejected because someone else already filed a return. Accountant is telling me "Don't bother contacting the IRS, we're handling it," but as good as they are, this is the first time they've dealt with this, and I'm scared that there's E36 M3 I'm supposed to be doing that I haven't done. I did check with the big 3, and my credit is still 100%. Now trying to figure out if I want to do fraud alert or all out credit "freeze."

That is berkeleyed up. I also hope you realize I'm kidding about the rest... except the Anal Lube thing. I have done that. There is nothing more hilarious than watching someone try to explain that on their desk thru the fishbowl glass. It was in retaliation for putting up Menudo posters all over my cube while I was out on vacation.

This is a pretty common scam these days -- e-filing has made it easy to file returns, but the IRS hasn't kept up with the cross-checks.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57400602/tax-return-scammers-steal-ids-and-billions/

Wow, I had no idea this was so commonplace, but I can't say I'm surprised.

Hope it works out, poop. This has got to be an extreme level of teh suk.

I know someone who works for the IRS, I will make a call and see if she knows anything that could be useful to your case. This isn't the type of thing she deals in, but I'm sure she knows someone who does.

I've heard some taxpayer & bureaucracy related stories that would blow your mind.

poopshovel wrote: Now trying to figure out if I want to do fraud alert or all out credit "freeze."

I keep my credit frozen. Its $3 in GA to freeze each bureau and free to temporarily lift/unfreeze you file up to 30 days. I have had to unfreeze mine a handle full of times.

HappyAndy wrote: I know someone who works for the IRS, I will make a call and see if she knows anything that could be useful to your case. This isn't the type of thing she deals in, but I'm sure she knows someone who does. I've heard some taxpayer & bureaucracy related stories that would blow your mind.

Um. Wow! Thanks much man, but I don't think it's necessary.

Yeah, I doubt you'd shock me. Almost 10 years in business, and I seem to have a target on my forehead. There have been dozens, but the three recent ones that took the cake:

1. IRS: "We don't have any record of your filing a tax return. If you did file, we're gonna need you to dig up all that E36 M3, make copies of it, and stick it in the mail, plus a check with what you owe plus the juice, in the next ten days, or we'll start levying assets." Accountant handled that one.

2. State of Georgia THIS YEAR: "Yeah, you didn't make your 1st quarter sales tax payment for 2004 - we're gonna need that, plus the juice, in the next 30 days, or we'll start levying assets." That was a half hour of digging up the evidence, two faxes, three phone calls...the last one, I was, no bullE36 M3, on hold for an hour and a berkeleying half for the douchenozzle I'd left 3 voicemails for, which ended in a 5 minute "yeah, we're makin sum changes tah 'dah system'. Yer good." The kicker? A week later, this berkeleystick calls to return a voicemail I left him A berkeleyING MONTH AGO.

3. Last one: $80 the state claims we owe them that we don't. Accountant: "You can pay us to handle it, and it'll probably end up being $100-$200, or you can do it yourself, but it'll probably be a few hours of your time and a lotta frustration.....or you can just pay it."

If any of you big fans of government ever wonder why I berkeleying hate the government, try earning a goddamned living and paying taxes quarterly...then monthly...then quarterly again, playing by all the rules, only to have one of these mush mouth middle school drop-outs shake you down for your "fair share."

Grandmother had this happen. They can issue returns in the form of a cash card and will mail them to a PO box. IRS made the scam just a little too easy. Grandma is going to get her return, but the bastard who filed in her name is probably going to get away with it. IRS (you and I) gets to pay more than twice.

Anti-stance wrote:

poopshovel wrote: Now trying to figure out if I want to do fraud alert or all out credit "freeze."

I keep my credit frozen. Its $3 in GA to freeze each bureau and free to temporarily lift/unfreeze you file up to 30 days. I have had to unfreeze mine a handle full of times.

Thanks man. Seems like the way to go. We don't do a lot of stuff that requires credit checks...certainly not in a hurry. I'll get on it tomorrow. Considering locking the baby's credit too. Not being a dick, but no joke, this is an industry for the non-resident-non-english-speakers in GA.

MrJoshua wrote: Grandmother had this happen. They can issue returns in the form of a cash card and will mail them to a PO box. IRS made the scam just a little too easy. Grandma is going to get her return, but the bastard who filed in her name is probably going to get away with it. IRS (you and I) gets to pay more than twice.

Clark Howard has been talking about it a lot. I want to say the number is in the hundreds of millions annually.

Why, that's all called "economic stimulus" now. Didn't you know?

yeah id let your accountant handle it.

i would assume it was a mistake. but this type of scam is new to me.