Curbelo introduces bipartisan bill to prevent taxpayer identity theft

Bipartisan legislation recently introduced by U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) would require the IRS commissioner to look at ways to prevent and mitigate the damages of taxpayer identity theft.

The Taxpayer Identity Protection and Alert Act, H.R. 5736, introduced by Curbelo and U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham (D-FL), would require the IRS commissioner to report to Congress on the feasibility of a system to alert taxpayers when a return has been filed.

“According to a recent report by the Treasury Department, federal income tax return fraud in South Florida is 46 times the national average,” Curbelo said. “This bill will help to reduce the amount of fraud that we see in our communities throughout the country by exploring tools that the IRS can use to combat fraudulent activity. We are paying billions of taxpayer dollars every year to criminals who file returns with stolen identities. It is imperative that we combat this fraud and reduce identity theft.”

The bill would also ask the IRS commissioner to list recommendations for the best way to establish an infrastructure to notify taxpayers of a filed return.

“We have an obligation to do everything we can to help Floridians, especially vulnerable seniors, from becoming the victims of identity theft,” Graham said. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation could help us add an extra layer of security to fight fraud and save tax dollars.”