IRS: Some Stimulus Checks Sent to Wrong Accounts

NEW YORK -- Some of federal economic stimulus checks are being deposited directly into the wrong bank accounts, Newsday reported Thursday.

“We do know of instances of problems; we've heard of situations where stimulus checks have gone to the wrong people's bank accounts," conceded Kevin McKeon, the Internal Revenue Service spokesman for the New York region, according to Newsday. "We're getting a lot of calls to the toll-free number."

One local taxpayer, who asked not to be identified, reported that he had discovered an unexpected deposit of $1,800 in his bank account, according to Newsday. He said a review of his bank records revealed that it was a deposit from the IRS bearing another taxpayer's Social Security number. He said he contacted the IRS and was told by an IRS agent that the deposit was one of 15,000 misrouted checks sent out incorrectly as a result of a computer programming glitch.

McKeon said he could not confirm that figure or that a computer problem was responsible, the paper reported.

-- NYSSCPA.org News Staff

Posted on 5/15/08