This shouldn't come as much of a surprise but in case you live under a rock, the IRS is using social networking to catch tax evaders. Thanks to some people's errant Facebook, MySpace and Twitter updates, the IRS has tracked down some tax evaders.
They're mining through posted information such as relocation announcements, professional profiles and financial gains. Agents at the IRS have been able to collect all sorts of bucks from would-be tax dodgers. One Nebraska agent was able to collect $2,000 from a disc jockey after he advertised on MySpace that he’d be working at a big public party.
"These new supplements are often far more efficient than the older ones, such as reading the local newspaper or making inquiries at barbershops and church meetings," said Jim Eads, director of the Federation of Tax Administrators. Another agent was able to collect $30,000 of unpaid taxes after a Google search lead him directly to his target.
So, if you’re the type of person that likes to boast about income that hasn’t been reported on Twitter or any status updates you have, think twice. The IRS could be, and probably is, watching.
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