Indy couple falls victim to tax return fraud

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - You've got a couple days left to file your tax returns, but officials say fraudulent filings are on the rise.

An Indianapolis couple says they fell victim, just a week and a half ago.

Liz and Marcus May say their accountant went to file their taxes a week and a half ago, but he was rejected three times.

They found out someone had used Liz’ maiden name – to file a fake tax return.

They’ve filed a police report, told the appropriate people, and now are waiting as an investigation is underway.

Liz May says, “It’s on the rise, and it can happen to anyone. We were shocked that it happened to us.”

The attorney general's office reports that by the beginning of April, they'd seen nearly two dozen complaints filed. By the beginning of April 2011, there had only been two complaints filed.

If you feel you've been a victim, contact police and the attorney general.

If you would like to learn more on how to protect your personal information, click here.