IRS Warns About Fraudulent Preperation

A spokesman for the Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers about scam artists who promise a big refund and then leave taxpayers to deal with the consequences. Brian Thiel of the agency's Denver office says unscrupulous preparers will inflate or outright lie on a return to get a bigger refund than the taxpayer is legally entitled to. Thiel says the problem comes up when the agency catches the problem and demands repayment, and the preparer is nowhere to be found. Thiel says it's important for taxpayers to do their due diligence, including making sure your preparer will be available for an audit.