Senators Wicker and Nelson Call on IRS to Address Tax Refund Fraud Bipartisan Coalition Urges Agency to Make Fraud Reduction a Top Priority

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Bill Nelson, D-Fla., today led a bipartisan group of 15 Senators in calling on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen to update Congress regarding the agency’s efforts to prevent tax refund fraud using stolen identities.

In their letter to Koskinen, the Senators expressed concern that the IRS has yet to devise a comprehensive plan to address the problem, which cost taxpayers $5.2 billion in 2013, according to the Government Accountability Office. The Senators further urged the agency to improve existing safeguards and to make stopping tax refund fraud a top priority.

“Tax fraud directly harms millions of tax-paying Americans who play by the rules,” said US Sen. Roger Wicker. “On top of that, identify theft and stolen refunds undermine confidence in our tax system. The IRS has an obligation to make fraud reduction a top priority, in particular by identifying and holding those accountable who cheat the system by cheating honest taxpayers.”

“I’ve heard from too many people who’ve had their lives turned upside down by identity thieves,” said US Sen. Bill Nelson.  “And, whatever it takes, we need to have the IRS elevate this to a priority.”

Wicker and Nelson were joined in their letter by Senators Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., Jack Reed, D-R.I., Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ben Cardin, D-Md., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Mark Kirk, R-Ill.

Source:  Sen. Roger Wicker News Release at http://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=b1d9f962-5257-4443-b8cf-0ee5f5383ba4