Quote:
Originally Posted by Lea N
We never received a refund in 2021 and it was a substantial amount. I'm still trying to get the money. It's a long story but someone did our taxes and put the wrong address on our return. Instead of having the refund deposited into our account they selected to have it mailed to us (why I'll never know.) - at a wrong address. The person who did our taxes never let us see it or sign it. When I realized what they had done, a couple weeks or so after their mistake I asked them to correct it and they refused, saying it could not be done.
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If you don’t know that tax preparer well or the person is not associated with a reputable organization, you might be a victim of fraud. The scam could be your tax preparer intentionally has your tax refund check sent to a mailing address where a scammer picks up the check and cashes it. If all of this is indeed a scam, identity theft is also a possibility, This is speculation without more information from you.
If you have no strong evidence of a scam and your refund is substantial, you might get professional help from a reputable tax preparer such as a CPA to possibly help guide you through the process.
Unless you have evidence of your tax preparer’s willful intent rather than a mistake, I am doubtful that you could get law enforcement very interested to investigate.
Below is some information about tax scams you might want to read:
What Is Stolen Identity Refund Fraud? - TurboTax Tax Tips & Videos
Fraudulent Tax Returns and Refunds – United States Postal Inspection Service.
Stolen Tax Refund Check? Here’s How To Get Your Money Back