We got hacked IRS Tax Return

Monday the wifey did our tax returns, Via Turbo Tax. When she submitted it a reply came back that we had already submitted our joint return. Gerr???
She called IRS and got a message that all lines were tied up and for best results call back in mid week, Today at 8:30 she dialed the number, and was put on hold. Nearly an hour later a real voice answered, but could hardly speak english. (WTF) After another 30 mins. with this person My wife was able to down load about ten pages of procedures to overcome idenity theft, so we could file a legit return.
Part of the sequence was to go to local police dept and file a theft of idenity report. The wife went to the NYS troopers office in a nearby town, and the desk officer didn't know how to process the complaint, but did mention that she wasn' the first this week to do so. Waiting on return call, for their paperwork. The wife contacted our bank and talked to them, and we have new CCs coming and all applications for credit have been blocked. Fortunatly we only deal with one local bank and all of our financing is done with them. We are both drawing SS and ther is no indication that the hackers have found the electronic deposits to our bank account.
The wife has spent all day persuing any further breeches to our idenity.
There was someone on here a bit ago that said a simple call to IRS resolved all their problems after someone filed before them. I would doubt that their problems are over, as the IRS person that my wife talked to, could do nothing more than guide her to IRS info site to redeem our identity. Lots of forms including the police report that the state trooper didn't know how to file, and two proofs of idenity for both of us. MY SS card is in rags after going through the washer within my wallet several times, since about 1960 when I got it, and barely readable. I do have a CDL class A licence Which is current. We had to include photo copies of all ID within the mail in forms.
Fortunatly we only deal with a local bank that handles all of our retirement funds, and we only have one credit card through them, which they canceled and are issuing new ones. Hopeing we got all our bases covered from the hyjackers.
Loren, the Acg.

Wow, I feel for you. Never been through it myself but had a niece it happened to.

Hope you get things fixed. This computer hacking seams to be getting worse. Today someone tried to get me. The screen went bright red, and a loud horn sound came from my computer. The message said to call this number for help. The call I made was to my computer guy. He got me out of the scam. Stan

Wow is right. Lots of hours of anxiety not to mention the hours spent straightening things out. I feel for you and I hope I'm not the next one to post about getting hacked.

Sure glad I don't have a credit card. Never have, never will.

This has been reported on many news outlets; I think as April 15 gets here, we will find -many- folks going through this.

The govt refunds money before checking your returns, so the crooks figured out, send in a fake return and get the refund issued to them.......

I think its a big deal out there, govt has done nothing to stop it..... Free money to crooks, what do you think is happening out there?

Paul

You can get the information on how to get a replacement card by going here.
SS card replacement

wish someone would hack my return, then i wouldnt have to pay another $4200 in april after i paid $7000 in jan. told my wife we should go to hr block, there average refund is $3000

The crooks don't need your CC #; all they need is you SS#. Somehow, all they need is your name and date of birth and they can access your SS# and file a return for that SS#. IRS has a huge problems and doesn't know how to fix it.

I saw on local TV that another couple had used Turbo Tax and were hacked. I file our federal taxes since I don't have any deductions that will beat the Standard deduction. I mail the forms in a plain envelope. Hal

Do you use checks? What's on your check? All you should have is your name, minus middle initial, the town you're from and maybe your phone number. DO NOT put middle initial or full middle name, street address, drivers license number, etc. Probably just your name is enough. We got hacked once that way when I had all my info on my checks.

I still don't understand why SS# are being used for ID. I've argued it with companies and with gov't agencies and I always lose the argument. I thought there was a law that specifically said it can't be used for ID.

Don't believe what you hear on T.V. H&R Block only cots me 1500.00 more than what had been deducted. I too wish someone would hack and pay tht $1500. LOL Keith

Sounds like a big hassle. We had a credit card number stolen, they tried to use it twice at a market in Spain. Bank got it stopped and reissued cards with new numbers right away. Here in Ohio they are randomly requiring an ID verification after you file your state return, it's a series of 4 questions. You have to get three right and you get two chances, otherwise you have to call in and take it. The questions are based on data in your state files and not just your taxes. They used tax data, motor vehicle and real estate info on the ones that me and my wife had to do, and not all recent, they reach back a few years on some questions. I'm thinking the IRS is going to have to implement something too to stop the fraud.

I use the H&R Block tax software, it includes Sched. F and figures and keeps the depreciation info year to year. We e-file the federal return but do our state on the state site. Have to go on there anyway to do the school tax return so might as well do the main return there, using Block for the data, and save the e-file fee.

Got to love it, the government who has mandated almost everything to be online, knowing full well it is the most insecure place in the world. Hope you get everything straightened out. This is why I do not do any banking, or my taxes online, still send in the old fashioned papers, takes longer, but works.

been all over the news the last couple weeks. Some states have stopped allowing ANY Turbo Tax returns because of this. If they can get your name ans SS number they (who ever they are ) can file a tax return in your name. I have no idea how they can get the check or even direct deposit without being able to be tracked unless they are off shore.

For all you know someone has a half dozen credit cards in your name already.

That royally stinks, Loren. Hope you get everything straightened out... and can protect from future problems.

I felt nervous about our tax return after hearing of people getting hacked... haven't heard back from our tax accountant - so assuming it all went through ok.

I think when someone gets hacked - the darn government should make that SS number defunct and assign a new number in its place. So hackers could not use the original number to open credit card accounts.

Read somewhere that one victim's false return was directed to be paid to a reloadable debit card. :roll:

Seems like that would be easy to stop with a few simple changes: IRS should ONLY issue paper checks sent to an address. Pass a law that a refund check could only be cashed at a bank, in person or by depositing via USPS mail to a bank. Then, a scammer would have to pick out an address and monitor the mail there as they would not know when the check would arrive. Then, if they wanted it in cash, they would have to take it to a bank, present 2 forms of ID all the while being filmed on surveillance cameras. If they did it by mail, there is a bank account to trace.

It's funny that the US and other countries have gone after Switzerland and other banking hideouts, yet they allow anonymous untraceable transfer of funds so easily through their own systems. :lol:

Finally, the US should pick out a few test cases and put the resources of the US law enforcement on it just like they do on the high-profile terrorism cases. Catch the guys and make a highly publicized example of them. Raise the penalty to maybe 50 years in a Federal prison. Then it becomes kind of like a reverse Lotto for the scammers. :lol: Do the same with spammers: come down hard on a few guys with lots of publicity.

For some reason, nobody hacked in and wanted to PAY the taxes I owed this year. Go figure.

I hoping when I get the money together on April 14th I find that I got hacked and somebody paid it for me.

A good read on the subject. I found this really interesting:

"In addition, the IRS sent a total of 655 tax refunds to a single address in Lithuania, and 343 refunds went to a lone address in Shanghai, according to the ITGTA report for the 2011 tax-processing year."
Poke here.

Seems like it would be easy to stop a lot of this, especially when so many refunds are sent to one account or address out of the country. Guess the IRS is more interested in harassing tax payers than helping them.

I'm probably going to have to pay more to feds,so lots of luck to hackers getting refunds from them. I never file electronically, always mail return in by surface mail.

KEH