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THE CRIMINALS GET THEIR HANDS ON RETURNS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, AND THEN USE THAT INFORMATION TO FILE NEW FRAUDULENT RETURNS ON UNSUSPECTING VICTIMS. AFTER THE REFUND GOES INTO THE VICTIM'S BANK ACCOUNT, THE CROOKS, POSING AS DEBT COLLECTORS FOR THE I. R. S ., FOLLOW- UP WITH A PHONE CALL, CLAIMING THE REFUND WAS AN ERROR AND DIRECTING THEM TO A FRAUDULENT WEBSITE TO RETURN THE MONEY. >> I HAD ABOUT $ 9, 015 MORE THAN I ANTICIPATED. >> Reporter: DUNCAN POLICE OFFICER DAVID WOODS FOUND THAT SUPPOSED REFUND ONE DAY AS HE CHECKED HIS BANK BALANCE, BUT: >> IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. >> Reporter: BECAUSE? >> I HAD NOT FILED MY TAXES. I HAD NOT EVEN GOT MY W- 2s TO FILE MY TAXES. >> Reporter: SO WHEN THE SCAMMERS CALLED HIM A WEEK LATER TRYING TO GET THE MONEY? >> I TOLD HER, " YOU LISTEN TO ME, YOU PIECE OF CRAP ." >> Reporter: SUFFICED TO SAY, HE TOLD THEM OFF. >> IT'S CROOKS AND CHEATS. I DON'T LIKE IT. >> Reporter: HE RETURNED THE MONEY TO THE GOVERNMENT, BUT NOW THE I. R. S. SAYS HIS REAL REFUND OF $ 3, 000 WILL BE DELAYED, POSSIBLY FOR MONTHS. AND HE'S NOT ALONE. OVER AT THE LOCAL TIRE SHOP, 49- YEAR- OLD JERRY DUVALL TOLD US HIS $ 5, 800 RETURN IS MORE THAN TWO MONTHS LATE. >> WE PLANNED ON, YOU KNOW, TAKING CARE OF EXPENSES, GETTING CAUGHT UP ON BILLS. YOU KNOW, WE COUNTED ON IT. >> Reporter: HE MISSED A $ 200 CAR PAYMENT. AND ON THE VERY DAY WE SPOKE TO HIM... >> MY CAR GOT REPO'D. >> Reporter: THEY REPOSSESSED YOUR CAR? I'M SORRY. THAT'S HARD. AT LEAST 230 OF KRAFT'S CLIENTS HAVE BEEN HIT AND FACE MONTHS OF DELAYS. >> YOU GOT A LETTER FROM THE I. R. S. >> Reporter: TAXPAYERS LIKE 91- YEAR- OLD RAY FROFRO, WHO FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SCAM FROM THE I. R. S. WHILE WE WERE THERE. >> A 2017 TAX RETURN HAS BEEN FILED USING HIS SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. >> THEY OUGHT TO GO TO JAIL. >> Reporter: IT'S NOT JUST ONE TAX PREPARER HERE IN DUNCAN, OKLAHOMA. WE'VE LEARNED THAT THERE MAY BE AS MANY AS 100 TAX PREPARERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AFFECTED BY THIS SCAM. AND THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES THAT THEY KNOW OF, SO THAT COULD BE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TAXPAYERS. I. R. S. AGENTS SHOWED US WHERE CRIMINALS BUY THOSE TAX RETURNS ON THE DARK WEB. ONE SELLER OFFERED THIS AS AN EXAMPLE, A MIDWESTERN COUPLE'S FULL 2016 TAX RETURN. AND HOW MANY OF THESE ARE THERE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW? >> A LOT. >> Reporter: BACK IN DUNCAN, ANNETTE KRAFT SAYS THE SCAM HAS TURNED HER BUSINESS UPSIDE DOWN. >> MY CLIENTS ARE MORE LIKE A FAMILY. I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN TRUST ME, THAT I CAN TRUST THEM. IT HURTS. >> Reporter: ALTHOUGH THE I. R. S. SAYS PREPARERS ARE THE ONES BEING HACKED, KRAFT'S OWN EXPERTS TOLD HER SHE WAS NOT HACKED. BUT, JEFF, THE I. R. S. SAYS THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS FOR HACKERS TO GET IN AND STEAL INFORMATION. >> Glor: A REPORT THAT MAKES YOU MAD. BUT IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO KNOW HOW TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING TO THEM, IS THERE A WAY? >> Reporter: YOU REALLY CANNOT. WATCH YOUR BANK BALANCE. IF YOU SEE A REFUND COME IN, YOU CALL YOUR BANK. THEN YOU CALL THE I. R. S. YOU RETURN THE MONEY. YOU CAN'T KEEP THE MONEY, BECAUSE THEN THE I. R. S. WILL MAKE YOU PAY IT BACK. >> Glor: JUST MEANS THE REFUND IS WAY DELAYED. >> Reporter: AND THE REFUNDS ARE DELAYED FOR SOME OF THESE PEOPLE BY MONTHS, AND THEY ARE SUFFERING FOR IT. >> Glor: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
