The Beverly Hills Police Department advised community members Wednesday to remain vigilant during tax season for potential financial scams involving IRS tax payment checks being stolen from the mail.
Police said multiple situations have been identified consistent with similar cases reported in other states involving large IRS tax payments, ranging from $100,0000 to $500,000, being mailed through the U.S. Postal Service but never reaching the IRS.
Detectives said the IRS checks were intercepted from the mail, altered and deposited into the suspect’s bank account.
“This crime is particularly devastating because victims, expecting a large withdrawal for legitimate tax purposes, often do not scrutinize their bank statements when the transaction occurs,” the police department said in a statement, adding that victims usually are aware several months later when notified by the IRS that payment was not received.
The altered checks are usually cleared, the funds withdrawn in cash, and the suspect account has been closed by the time of the notification.
“Due to delays in discovery, bank surveillance footage and other investigative leads are often no longer available, making the prosecution of these crimes unlikely. It is vital to understand that once these funds are withdrawn, the loss is usually permanent,” police said.
In an effort to assist with prevention, the police department advised community members to submit IRS payments electronically whenever possible by visiting the official IRS website at irs.gov, noting that electronic payments are the most secure way to ensure tax payments are received by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
“If a physical check must be mailed, residents should regularly review their bank statements and examine the deposited check image in their banking portal to confirm it was processed by the intended recipient,” police said.
Anyone with information regarding potential fraud was urged to contact the BHPD at 310-550-4951. People with concerns related to mail theft within the postal system can submit information to the USPS Office of Inspector General at hotlineform.uspsoig.gov.