Fraud can happen to anyone, even wealthy entrepreneurs. Steve, who asked his last name not be used so he could tell this story, was shocked to discover that someone had stolen one of his checks that was supposed to go to the IRS. Months later, Steve, whose firm helps lawyers serve legal documents, was still on the hook for a $310,000 federal tax payment.
In early January 2024, Steve’s wife wrote a check, from their personal Wells Fargo bank account, and addressed it to the IRS for $310,000. This check was Steve’s estimated payment for his first-quarter federal taxes that year. She took the check to a secure mailbox inside a Seattle area post office and the check cleared on Jan. 31, according to a Wells Fargo bank statement.
