Should I tell the IRS they made a mistake in my favor?

Question

After 3 grueling days of my audit interegation, I recieved a letter that stated that their conclusuion was that I was owed $1,456,839,124. 23. Should I tell them that, while I make a nice living, I can't see how I could be owed over a billion dollars.

I suppose I could tell them, but the check should be here in a few weeks.

Should I just cash the check and run to Canada? Maybe I could leave them the 23 cents.

Seems to me if they are stupid enough to send it, I can be smart enough to cash it.

Answer 1

I think Mark is totally pulling all of your chains here guys. I think the question is super funny and even funnier that there are serious answers. That being said here's what I think you should do.

1.) Make a photocopy of you flipping the bird... sign it and sent it to George Bush.

2.) Buy Latrell Spreewell's yacht.

3.) make it rain

4.) Buy Idaho.

5.) Send the IRS a check of a black person and write in permanent marker "reparations MOFO!!!"

6.) Convert it all to nickels then drive around with multiple trucks saying "If I got a nickel for everytime someone slept with my wife...."

IF this is legit, please send me $100,000 for making you laugh today.

Answer 2

If you cash the check, you'll owe the money back plus interest eventually.

If the mistake weren't so totally obvious, you could probably get away with cashing it and waiting to get caught. However, there's no way they aren't going to notice this error.

In fact, the check will likely never make it to you - there are edits when a check gets released from the system and someone might even catch the error before a check is cut.

Answer 3

ha now this isn't the PRICE IS RIGHT, it's the IRS... they don't have Bob Barker but they WILL tell you to COME ON DOWN----to jail if you cash that check... your best bet would be to call them PRONTO but they will probably send the check anyway if they haven't caught the error by now so send it back with a letter stating they sent it to you in ERROR... it will take them forever to figure out where to PUT that check, but you will not get your butt into trouble that way.... You MIGHT just want to personally take it to your local IRS office if you live near a city... but if not, just mail it back OR they may tell you WHEN YOU CALL to shred it up....but sending it back REGISTERED, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED will give you proof if someday you need to prove you sent it and they RECEIVED IT BACK....

Answer 4

We just prosecuted a guy who thought he'd not say anything (leaving out a lot of details, for security reasons) - I'm not with the IRS, I'm with a different tax agency . . . the IRS has less of a sense of humor about this than we do.

Answer 5

Uh, you might as well call them and tell them. Chances of actually getting the check for that are about nil - and if you did, and cashed it, you'd be in major trouble for fraud since it's obvious you know you don't have that coming.

But it's a nice amount to think about..... lol.

Answer 6

I am sure the IRS will catch it before they mail you that check. So I wouldn't count on being very rich. The IRS isn't stupid. They will question that amount before they just up and mail you a check.

Answer 7

You know that the IRS is all but fair, so if you spend it you will have to repay it. However, if you avoid them and move to an exotic place and don't open a bank account or put anything your name you can live large and happy!!!

Answer 8

Dear God, if this is true and they really do cut you that check, you should flee to Switzerland and open an account with it.

The only drawback is that you'd never be able to come back to the U.S. Well, not unless you go to Mexico and just walk across the border.

Answer 9

What do all men do when they recieve $1billion?
Take over the World!
Although with the terrible $ exchange rate, you'll be lucky to take over anything bigger than a cardboard box.

Answer 10

They will eventually figure it out and come demanding the money (if they dont catch the check in processing first).