| Working with a name linked to a number recognized by Social Security - even if it is just borrowed or leased - avoids these pitfalls. "It's the safest way,"said Mario Avalos, a Stockton accountant who every year does tax returns for dozens of illegal immigrants. "If you are going to work in a company with strict requirements, you know they won't let you in without good papers." Illegal immigrant workers usually earn so little they are owed an income tax refund at the end of the year. The illegal immigrant "working the number"will usually pay the real owner by sharing the tax refund "Sometimes the one who is working doesn't mind giving all the refund, he just wants to work,"said Fernando Rosales, who runs a shop preparing income taxes in the immigrant-rich enclave of Huntington Park, Calif. "But others don't, and sometimes they fight over it. We see that all the time. It's the talk of the place during income tax time." They are filing false income tax returns. There might be small refunds if too much has been taken out, but if they make so little that they won't owe income tax, they can claim an exemption from withholding. What is really going on here (I have no doubt) is Earned Income Tax Credit fraud, which will net them thousands of dollars. While the "qualifying child" (or two qualifying children to max out the EITC refund) also need valid SS#s, that might not be a problem for number-lender, who may have his own children born in the US, or know people with Hispanic names who will "lend" him their children with SS#s. The local Spanish-surnamed tax preparers are obviously in on the scam. Does the IRS care about any of this? |
I doubt if it would do any good, but one could always send the article to the IRS and to any state licensing agencies (if these two are required to have one).
They will when we all change our last names, and refuse to file income tax.