More than $59.5 million in fraudulent and erroneous refunds and credits were blocked last tax season thanks in part to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue's use of identity verification tools. Over seven years, that's saved taxpayers $315 million.
"Our goal is to ensure the identities of tax filers are secure and protected, and we've implemented a number of security measures to achieve that goal," said Richard Chandler, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue uses analytics to identify tax returns that indicate possible identity theft. If there's a concern, the agency sends a letter to the tax filer asking them to complete a quiz, enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN), or submit documentation to confirm their identity. The unique PINs are a tool the revenue department began using last year to help safeguard tax filers. DOR does not call to request information.
"We carefully review filed tax returns to protect taxpayers, since cybercrime and identity theft have become more common," Chandler said. "Our systems are very secure, but when criminals steal someone's personal information from other sources, they may use it to file a fraudulent tax return.
"We ask tax filers to allow up to 12 weeks processing time this season as we use our ID verification tools to ensure their refund is not going to someone who's stolen their personal, confidential information."
