US accepted a return from Lacerte that I did not submit

[mhlester]

Hi, all,

Today I received an e-file acknowledgement from Lacerte on my account that the US accepted a Form 1040 on 3/17/2025 that I did not submit to Lacerte.  The file, still incomplete, seems to have been somehow sent to Lacerte and sent to the US without any user input. I am the only user who has access to the files. There are several critical diagnostics (especially the fourth one down) which I think might have prevented e-filing if I had tried to e-file the return. 

I guess this would seem to somehow be a user error, but it happened at 12:54 AM on 3/17/25 when I submitted an S corp extension and a partnership extension... the last of my 3/17 extensions. I never even entered the individual module.

I wonder if the return was actually filed or if this is a Lacerte anomaly.

I called Lacerte but they have no answers for me.

I will file POAs for fed and state and try to find out if the returns were actually filed.

Today, I e-filed a federal extension and the US accepted it. I was thinking the extension might get rejected if the return was already filed, but no such luck.

Worst case, I will file an amended return, fed and state, when the return is finished and ready to file.

I wonder if anyone else has ever had this problem and if there are any other suggestions about how to proceed.

Thanks, Michael

[Karen_pdx]

You might try e-filing a "superceding" return when you have the data, either by 4/15 or by 10/15 if the return was extended. The last return filed by the due date (original or extended) is considered the  original return.

I don't think you need to file an amended return unless the return changes after the due date (original or extended). Lacerte has an article on how to file a superceding return.

https://accountants.intuit.com/support/en-us/help-article/corporation/e-filing-superseded-returns-la...

[mhlester]

Thank you, Karen,

I later learned that someone filed a fraudulent return for my client. What I don't understand is how I got an acknowledgement on my Lacerte account that the US accepted a return that I did not file. I changed my Lacerte password today and I have had two-factor authentication to my cell phone. I am baffled and concerned.

More specifically, a Lacerte agent told me the refund was over $20,000 and the bank information (last four of the routing number and the account number). I called the IRS with the client on the phone and confirmed a fraudulent return was filed. Now, I am going through all the "what to do when your ID is stolen" steps.

What a nightmare.