The tax scams have already begun in Tennessee… Cases where culprits file taxes under someone else’s identity run rampant this time of year.  WGNS' Zach Troutman has more...

Most recently, a Murfreesboro Police officer fell victim to this problem.  Unknown persons filed taxes under the local officers’ social security number and he did not realize it until he tried to file his taxes himself. The officer, whose name we are withholding due to his line of work, was quickly informed by the IRS that he had already filed his taxes.

The officer had to file a police report to submit to the IRS to properly resolve the matter. 

The IRS has seen a significant increase in refund fraud that involves identity thieves who file false claims for refunds by stealing and using someone's Social Security number. 

Statistical Data from the IRS 

In Fiscal Year 2012, the IRS initiated approximately 900 identity theft related criminal investigations, tripling the number of investigations initiated in FY 2011. Direct investigative time applied to identity theft related investigations increased by 129 percent over that same period. Prosecution recommendations, indictments, and those convicted and sentenced for identity theft violations have increased dramatically since Fiscal Year 2010. Sentences handed down for convictions relating to identity theft have been significant, ranging from 4 months to 300 months.   

Source: 

MPD Incident Report
IRS.gov website