Hatch, Wyden Introduce Tax Refund Theft Prevention Act

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, today introduced the Tax Refund Theft Prevention Act of 2014, S. 2736, a bill that provides enhanced protection for taxpayers against fraudulent tax refund claims that are made with the use of stolen taxpayer identities. The bill includes new assistance for those persons who have been victims of this crime and requires the Internal Revenue Service to establish a new security feature that individuals can use to protect their tax return filings.

“Tax refund fraud is a one-two punch for taxpaying individuals,” Hatch said. “Millions of taxpayers’ identities are compromised, and all taxpayers have their tax dollars wasted. Our bill aims to address such fraud by enhancing the IRS’s capabilities in detecting fraud and by giving victims the assistance and safeguards they need to repair the damage done by tax theft criminals. In order to further deter this crime, we make tax refund fraud a specific category of a felony offense and enhance security features for filers. Hard-working American families deserve a government that protects both their tax dollars and their sensitive taxpayer information. I am pleased Chairman Wyden has joined me in this advancing this effort.”

“We have to better protect lawful taxpayers from this nightmare issue,” Wyden said. “Earlier this year, I made it clear that taxpayer consumer protection must be at the heart of improving the American tax system. This bill offers a comprehensive, common sense solution to a growing problem that will help prevent fraud and also provide assistance to those who have been victimized. Senator Hatch and I remain committed to protecting the integrity of our tax system.”

Additional information available here.

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