Tax Filing Deadline Nears

As the April 18 tax filing deadline approaches, taxpayers should be aware of falling into fraudulent tax schemes and and resist attempts to take illegal shortcuts, according to a statement by the Northern District of Georgia United States Attorney's Office.

“Those who do not pay their fair share of taxes shortchange the system," United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in the statement. "In a time when we face such significant budget issues, it is particularly reprehensible that some are not paying their fair share. We will aggressively pursue all who commit tax fraud.”

Yates office, as well as the Internal Revenue Service have also warned tax payers to be wary of tax return preparers who aren't qualified.

"One of the primary missions at IRS Criminal Investigation is to deter tax fraud through education and publicity. I believe that public awareness is a critical element in deterring potential tax fraud and by educating the public about tax scams and publicizing that offenders are caught and punished, we hope to prevent individuals from taking that fateful step," said Reginael McDaniel, Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge for the IRS. "With the April 18th tax deadline looming, it is important for taxpayers to have confidence that when they pay their taxes, everyone else will do the same."