New Government Report: Taxes and Identity Theft Status of IRS Initiatives to Help Victimized Taxpayers

New Government Report: Taxes and Identity Theft Status of IRS Initiatives to Help Victimized Taxpayers: Congressional Testimony

by James R. White
Paperback, 17 pages, 2011, $20.00
ISBN: 1437986501

Identity theft (IT) is a serious and growing problem in the U.S. Taxpayers are harmed when identity thieves file fraudulent tax documents using stolen names and Social Security numbers. In 2010, the IRS identified 245,000+ IT incidents that affected the tax system. The hundreds of thousands of taxpayers with tax problems caused by IT represent a small percentage of the 140 million individual returns filed, but for those affected, the problems can be quite serious. This report describes: (1) when IRS detects IT based refund and employ. fraud; (2) the steps IRS has taken to resolve, detect, and prevent innocent taxpayers’ IT related problems; and (3) constraints that hinder IRS’s ability to address these issues. Illus. This is a print on demand report.

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New Government Report: For-Profit Colleges: Undercover Testing Finds Colleges Encouraged Fraud and Engaged in Deceptive and Questionable Marketing Practices: Congressional Testimony

For-Profit Colleges: Undercover Testing Finds Colleges Encouraged Fraud and Engaged in Deceptive and Questionable Marketing Practices: Congressional Testimony
by Gregory D. Kutz
Paperback, 30 pages, 2010, $20.00
ISBN: 9781437937503

Enrollment in for-profit colleges has grown from about 365,000 students to almost 1.8 million in the last several years. These colleges offer degrees and certifications in programs ranging from business administration to cosmetology. In 2009, students at for-profit colleges received more than $4 billion in Pell Grants and more than $20 billion in federal loans provided by the U.S. Deptartment of Education.

The auditor was asked to: (1) conduct undercover testing to determine if for-profit colleges’ representatives engaged in fraudulent, deceptive, or otherwise questionable marketing practices; and 2) compare the tuition’s of the for-profit colleges tested with those of other colleges in the same geographic region. Charts and tables.

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New Government Report: Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program: Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2009 (ISBN: 9781437935172)

Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program: Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2009 (ISBN: 9781437935172)
By Daniel R. Levinson
(Paperback, 69 pages, 2010, $25)

Every year, billions of taxpayer dollars intended to provide health care to Americans are stolen by fraudulent schemes. Combined federal and state spending on Medicaid and Medicare is projected to exceed $800 billion per year in 2010. Estimates project fraud consumes 3 to 10 percent of total spending. That’s $27 billion to $80 billion in 2010 alone, if left unchecked, Virginia’s Daily Press reports.

During Fiscal Year 2009, the Federal Government won or negotiated approximately $1.63 billion in judgments and settlements, and it attained additional administration impositions in health care fraud cases and proceedings. The Medicare Trust Fund received transfers of approximately $2.51 billion during this period as a result of these efforts, as well as those of preceding years, in addition to over $441 million in Federal Medicaid money similarly transferred separately to the Treasury as a result of these efforts. The Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program account has returned over $15.6 billion to the Medicare Trust Fund since the inception of the Program in 1997. In Fiscal Year 2009, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices opened 1,014 new criminal health care fraud investigations involving 1,786 defendants. Illustrations.

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New Government Report: Identity Theft: Trends and Issues (ISBN: 1437929079)

Identity Theft: Trends and Issues (ISBN: 1437929079)
By Kristin M. Finklea (Paperback, 27 pages, 2010, $20)

“Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the nation,” according to Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance. In Manhattan alone, there were more than 8,100 identity theft arrests between Jan. 1, 2008, and March 31, 2010, the office said.

Contents of this report: (1) Definitions of Identity Theft (IT): IT vs. Fraud; (2) Legis. History: IT Assumption Deterrence Act; IT Penalty Enhancement Act; IT Enforcement and Restitution Act; (3) IT Task Force: Recommendations; Legislation Recommendations; (4) Red Flags Rule; (5) Trends in IT: Perpetrators; Investigations and Prosecutions: FBI; Secret Service; Postal Inspection Service; Social Security Administration; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Justice Department; Domestic Impact: Credit Card Fraud; Document Fraud; Employment Fraud; (6) Data Breaches and IT; (7) Issues for Congress: IT Prevention: Securing Social Sec. No.; Effects of Data Breaches; Deterrence and Punishment; (8) Selected Legislation in the 111th Cong.: Social Sec. no.; Law Enforcement and Consumer Notification.

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New Government Report: Consumer Action Handbook, 2010 Edition

Consumer Action Handbook: 2010 Edition
Edited by Stephen R. Leeds (Paperback, 169 pages, 2010, $30)

Contents:
Part I — Be A Savvy Consumer: Buyer Beware; Banking; Cars; Credit; Financing Your Education; Employment; Food and Nutrition; Health Care; Housing; Insurance; Internet; Investing; Phones; Privacy Protection and Identity Theft; Smart Home Shopping; Telemarketing and Unwanted Mail; Travel; TV; Wills and Funerals.

Part II — Filing a Complaint: Contact the Seller; Contact Third Parties; Sample Complaint Letter: Dispute Resolution Programs; Small Claims Court; Legal Help and Information; Report Fraud and Safety Hazard.

Part III — Key Information Resources: For Teachers; For Persons with Disabilities; For Military Personnel.

Part IV — Consumer Assistance Directory. Illustrations.

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