Category: Scam Alert!

Five fraud tips every business leader should act on

A single instance of fraud can be devastating. According to a report conducted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the median loss per fraud case was $145,000 and more than a fifth of the cases involved losses of...

ShindelRock joins movement to shine a spotlight on fraud

Fraud costs organizations worldwide an estimated 5 percent of their annual revenues, according to a study conducted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). If applied to the 2013 estimated Gross World Product, this translates to a potential projected...

Looking to relieve tax debt? Get informed, not exploited

If you’re in financial distress, a company claiming to relieve tax debt may seem like the answer to your prayers. But as the old adage goes, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. More than 18,000...

SCAM Alert! LARA Alerts of Telephone Scam Targeting Michigan Businesses

  • September 18, 2014
  • Marianne Lilly, CPA, CGMA, CFE

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Director Steve Arwood today warns Michigan corporations not to give out their business information to callers identifying themselves as representatives from the State of Michigan Corporations Division. They are not. Michigan...

IRS reports increase in criminal investigations surrounding refund fraud

Tax Day has just passed, meaning millions of last-minute filers are waiting anxiously for their tax refund.  For some, that check won't be in the mail, thanks to identity theft and refund fraudsters who steal refunds and tax IDs.  The...

A checklist for victims of tax return fraud

We have had two clients in the last two week be victims of a fraudulent return filed with the State. The clients were indirectly notified by receiving an audit notice from the State requesting information related to the client’s 2013...

SCAM ALERT: IRS warns of “largest ever” Phone Fraud Scam

  • March 21, 2014
  • Maria Montie, CPA, MST, CVA, MAFF

Be aware!  Thousands of Americans nationwide have been targeted since August by a phone scam in which fraudsters claim to be from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and demand money for unpaid taxes, said the IRS' watchdog on Thursday. The...

SCAM ALERT: IRS warns of 2014 “Dirty Dozen” tax scams

This Dirty Dozen is no band of renegade outlaws, just the IRS's collection of the most common taxpayer scams: Identity Theft Phone Scams Phishing False Promises of "Free" Money due to Overinflated Tax Returns Return Preparer Fraud Hiding Income Offshore...

SCAM ALERT: Phony scheme collects $125 fee to prepare annual corporate records

REMEMBER:  If you're even unsure about a request for personal or business information or question the legitimacy of an IRS or state tax document, please contact your professional at ShindelRock. Scam Targets Corporations; LARA alerts Michigan businesses of scheme collecting...

SCAM ALERT! Tax return identity theft is on the rise

Tax-related identity theft has increased substantially in the past couple of years.  More and more individuals are finding out that fraudulent tax returns have been filed under their social security number.  Not only does this create a reporting nightmare, but...