Scam Alert

[rcooley25]

I prepared a tax return about 2 or three weeks ago for this lady who is an Illinois  resident.

The Illinois return was processed and accepted and she has her refund.

Today she gets a letter from  supposedly  from the Illinois department of Revenue requested additional information about who she is and other information or they will hold up the processing the tax return and not issue her her refund.

She already has her refund.

Does this sound like a scam to you?

[Camp1040]

I have had clients have their Federal refund held pending additional verification, I don't file many state returns since I am in a no income tax state.

[rcooley25]

It does not make any difference whether it is state or federal. They want to hold up a refund that she already has received. Something smells fishy here.

[qbteachmt]

Never use contact info from a letter or email. She should follow up, but she should find (or you should provide) the reliable contact info. That way, you are not working in the barrel they are fishing in.

[Just-Lisa-Now-]

Ive heard of this happening with IRS...the refund gets issued then an ID verification letter shows up that says you need to verify before they can issue the refund. 

I generally tell my clients to go through the ID verify anyhow, just so it doesn't end up hanging up next years refund when that ID verification goes unverified.

[BobKamman]

Have you seen the letter and the envelope it came in, or is this information coming from someone who may be easily confused and distraught?

What about her federal return?  Refund?  Paid yet?

[PATAX]

It could be or maybe it isn't. The letter may have went out even though the refund was received. What is the phone number on the  letter? What is the address, what is the email address, etc.. Look at all that information and you should be able to determine if it is legitimate. If she already received the refund then it's a moot point anyways.

[Frustrated-in-IL]

OMG, there is way too much time being wasted here on a SIMPLE matter.  Call 1-800-732-8866 and ask IL DOR if it is legit or not.

[PATAX]

@Frustrated-in-IL @If time is being wasted here then why did you take the time to leave a message

[Frustrated-in-IL]

To help give the 100% definitive answer so you can move onto helping someone else.

[Skylane]

@rcooley25   if it is small, has a white stipe on its tail and smells like a skunk, it probably isn’t a horse.  The nose knows….

[Frustrated-in-IL]

Or a bottle of Fireball disguised as skunk juice.

[rcooley25]

Thats insulting to a bottle of Fireball.

[Frustrated-in-IL]

You are right.  I just thought you might be disguising it in case some other IL tax preparers might be planning a raid on your liquor cabinet/warehouse.  Rumor has it you won’t share!  But I never meant to impugn the lofty peak in which Fireball so righty rests.

[rcooley25]

No one who knows me would ever attack my liquor cabinet where I keep my fireball unless they wanted to meet a sudden death.