INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) has stopped over $180 million in attempted identity theft and tax refund fraud since 2014.
DOR’s Identity Theft and Tax Fraud Prevention Program works to ensure customers’ identification and refunds are safe through a sophisticated set of verification and fraud rules used to analyze each Indiana individual tax return. These rules help to identify and stop attempted fraud before the tax return ever enters the tax processing system.
One aspect of DOR’s fraud prevention program is the identity confirmation quiz that selected filers are required to complete. The identity confirmation quiz helps confirm that returns submitted to DOR were filed by the actual person listed on the return. This quiz helps to ensure the refund goes to the correct person and destination. Those who receive a verification letter from DOR are not suspected of identity theft or having their identity stolen, but are part of an overall verification process for select returns to keep funds from getting into the wrong hands.
Customers selected for an identity confirmation quiz are sent a letter from DOR asking them to complete the quiz online. Additionally, some customers may be able to use their text-enabled cell phone to verify their identity through a one-time passcode verification system. Once their identity is verified, customers will typically have their refund processed within two weeks.
For more information on the Identity Theft and Fraud Prevention Program, visit DOR’s website at dor.in.gov.