Senator Charles Grassley, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee is asking the Justice Department why they have prosecuted so few IRS impersonation scams, despite the prevalence of such crimes. Grassley said this is a serious issues that demands a strong response. He is seeking a detailed accounting of the investigations and prosecutions of the scams, along with an explanation of why the crimes apparently have not been a greater priority for the Justice Department. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration called the IRS impersonation scam the largest, most pervasive impersonation scam in the history of the agency with Americans submitting up to 14,000 complaints each week. Reports indicate elderly Americans are targeted because they are home, they will answer the phone and they often have the money to pay. Grassley has asked for a response to his request by Monday, April 11, before the April 18 tax-filing deadline.
