This is an excerpt from a column posted at BizOpinion
As revenue secretary, I am aware of the growing sophistication of tax fraud schemes.
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), attempts by identity thieves to steal
personal information to claim tax refunds grew 78 percent from 2011 to 2012. Likewise, the
IRS estimates that 23 percent to 28 percent of all tax refunds for the Earned Income Tax Credit are
issued improperly.
If tax refunds are issued to fraudsters, honest taxpayers foot the bill. It’s why the
Department of Revenue will continue to target tax fraud of all types.
I share Governor Scott Walker’s goals of stopping tax fraud and protecting Wisconsin
taxpayers. As a continuation of the governor’s efforts to combat waste, fraud, and
abuse, his budgetstrengthens our department’s efforts to detect fraud, in an effort to
save taxpayers millions of dollars.
