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Georgia seeing uptick in tax fraud, getting better fighting it

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

Credit: Susan Walsh

Credit: Susan Walsh

(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
By James Salzer
Oct 24, 2017

Officials in Georgia's tax-collecting agency will be taking an extra cautious approach to income tax returns next year after the massive data breach at Equifax.

Josh Waites, the director of the Department of Revenue's Office of Special Investigations, said tax-return fraud has become a big business and data breaches in recent years have only made the situation worse.

"We're fearful with something like Equifax because they are getting a lot of information," he said. "The more information that is out there makes it easier to file fraudulent tax returns."

But the state Department of Revenue, and the IRS in D.C., are also seeing success in stopping the crime. Keep reading on myajc.com to see how the state has been doing in the war on tax fraud.

About the Author

James Salzer has covered state government and politics in Georgia since 1990. He previously covered politics and government in Texas and Florida. He specializes in government finance, budgets, taxes, campaign finance, ethics and legislative history

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