More than 100 New Hampshire physicians and health care providers have been reportedly victimized by tax fraud, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., is urging federal officials to investigate.
According to news reports cited by her office, the victims had their Social Security numbers stolen, and the perpetrators used them to file fraudulent tax returns and stole tax refunds.
“The Secret Service and Internal Revenue Service should immediately conduct a joint investigation into recent reports that more than one hundred physicians and health care providers in New Hampshire have become victims of tax fraud,” Shaheen wrote in a letter Wednesday to IRS commissioner John Koskinen. “These reports are deeply concerning and have impacted the ability of these medical providers to file their own tax returns. We must act swiftly to stop any fraudulent activity, bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that physicians and providers have the information they need to protect themselves.”
According to the New Hampshire Medical Society, she added, more than 100 physicians, physician assistants, dentists and nurse practitioners in New Hampshire have reported that someone else filed a tax return using their Social Security numbers.
“This suggests that medical providers in New Hampshire have become a target for fraudsters looking to obtain a tax return,” Shaheen wrote to Koskinen. “Acting quickly will help prevent additional providers from being affected, which is why I urge you to make this investigation a priority.”
She noted that her office would assist taxpayers who have been affected by the fraudulent tax returns, and she asked the IRS to provide her staff with any additional information about how her constituents can navigate the process of tax filing going forward. “Taxpayers should not be harmed as a result of fraudulent behavior,” she said.
