Tax Fraud On The Rise In Wisconsin

Wisconsin is responding to a dozen formal complaints of tax fraud that have been filed with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).

There are no quantifiable numbers from previous years, but a DATCP spokesperson says the number of complaints is higher than past years, and part of a national trend.

Wisconsin Department of Revenue Secretary Rick Chandler says e-filing is still very secure, and the complaints stem from identity theft. “We’re trying to do things to prevent fraudulent refunds from going out. We’re trying to track patterns of filing activity, so if there is a fraudulent return filed, we can catch it before a refund is sent out.”

The complaints come from people who have gone to file their taxes, only to find their Social Security numbers have already been used.

People who encounter similar problems are encouraged to contact the DATCAP, but tax issues will need to be resolved with the Internal Revenue Service.