MORE PROOF THAT THE IRS IS APPARENTLY INCAPABLE OF STOPPING PEOPLE WHO FRAUDULENTLY USE SOMEONE ELSE’S IDENTITY TO GET GOVERNMENT CASH

This AP news item tells about a group of college football players who, with some friends, stole personal identifying information (names and social security numbers), used that information to file fake tax returns claiming refundable tax credits, and got the refunds directed to themselves.  The article describes it as a “complicated scheme,” but it’s actually pretty simple, and has been a big problem for a long time.

The IRS is apparently unable to put in place a system that will prevent thieves from directing payments for tax credits to themselves by filing fraudulent income tax returns.  How did they catch these thieves, you ask?  

It wasn’t anything the IRS did.  According to the news item, one of the thieves went to the ATM too many times wearing a hoodie on a warm day, which attracted the attention of the local police, who determined from surveillance video that he was using a debit card that wasn’t his.