so they can get through the filters. that p.i.n. is a number that only the honest taxpayer would have, unless the thief is hacking into the home computer, for example. there is no perfect solution here, but that's a solution that seems have a lot of potential. >> and from what i've come to learn, seems to be the more we can expand that effort, if the data plays out, it seems like it ma tat that would be one way to really try to crack down and prevent this fraud from occurring. >> than i do think there are someong-term solutions. these are years away, but for example, right now irs does not match tax returns to the wage statements, the wt use that emplers filed out until months after the filing season ends. the first match is done in june. part of the reason for that is employers don't have to send those information returned to irs until either the end of february, the end of march. and irs matches later so the refunds go out the door first

so they can get through the filters. that p.i.n. is a number that only the honest taxpayer would have, unless the thief is hacking into the home computer, for example. there is no perfect solution here, but that's a solution that seems have a lot of potential. >> and from what i've come to learn, seems to be the more we can expand that effort, if the data plays out, it seems like it may, that that would be one way to really try to crack down and prevent this fraud from occurring. >> than i do think there are some long-term solutions. these are years away, but for example, right now irs does not match tax returns to the wage statements, the wt use that employers filed out until months after the filing season ends. the first match is done in june. part of the reason for that is employers don't have to send those information returned to irs until either the end of february, the end of march. and irs matches later so the refunds go out the door first and that kind of matching is done afterward. if irs can modernize their processing syste

everyone testified here want to make sure the p.i.n. here assuming the pilot will go, their refund will fly through. anyone trying to use their social security will just be blocked. much better than the flag and the filter, which is a step in the right direction but the p.i.n. could be the real solution here. >> and i certainly understand where you have a fraudulent claim, where they didn't just get a name and social security but they got access to, you know, all that information. you know, so they're filing correct status, you know, everything is good other than where the money is going. and i understand those are going to take a lot longer. those where it is just a name and social security number and this kind of comes back to the issue of the training of your staff and how they handle it. that initial saying we're going to do this as quickly as possible, hopefully, it will be, you know, you know, a month or whatever you think is the best case scenario but it could be six months but please know, you know, we're going to be giving you r

so they can get through the filters. that p.i.n. is a number that only the honest taxpayer would have, unless the thief is hacking into the home computer, for example. there is no perfect solution here, but that's a solution that seems have a lot of potential. >> and from what i've come to learn, seems to be the more we can expand that effort, if the data plays out, it seems like it may, that that would be one way to really try to crack down and prevent this fraud from occurring. >> than i do think there are some long-term solutions. these are years away, but for example, right now irs does not match tax returns to the wage statements, the wt use that employers filed out until months after the filing season ends. the first match is done in june. part of the reason for that is employers don't have to send those information returned to irs until either the end of february, the end of march. and irs matches later so the refunds go out the door first and that kind of matching is done afterward. if irs can modernize their processing syste

p.i.n. process, that they will be more exact and the three giving examples, next year you have to have a personal identifation number, you know, and it's not a question of keeping flag but they only you can file and be able. with one caveat. mr. white hit it, depending on how you receive that if those electronically, personal e-mail versus mail or even mail, that that p.i.n. isn't stolen, you know, in some fashion. but certainly would be another hurdle to guard against it. i think i had one or two other ones. i appreciate everyone's patience here. and this kind of, ms. thompson, mr. towns i think pretty well covered this. when you are dealing with the york city dettive, new york city police department's detective, undestanding because this person identified as being the criminal here was a new jersey, they wen't going to be presenting it, irs would. were you tol over the phone by the irs that they would be pursuing it, or were you told by the detective that his understanding from the irs? >> when the to irs agents came a couple months ago to talk to us, they had told the detective that he could n