Office of Fraud Enforcement at-a-glance

 

Identifying and pursuing potential fraud is crucial to fostering voluntary compliance among all taxpayers. It also fosters a sense of fairness to the vast majority of taxpayers who follow the tax laws. While most tax fraud cases result in no publicity, a criminal tax conviction let's all taxpayers know that the IRS is pursuing appropriate collection of taxes. It also lets others know the potential consequences of willfully evading their tax obligations.

Mission

OFE's mission is to promote compliance through strengthening the IRS's response to fraud and mitigating emerging threats. This includes:

  • Cultivating internal and external partnerships to identify new treatment streams to enhance enforcement,
  • Strengthening fraud detection and development to address areas of high-fraud and high-risk noncompliance and
  • Pursuing civil fraud penalties and referring cases that may lead to prosecutions where appropriate.

To accomplish the mission, OFE:

  • Provides IRS oversight and direction for fraud policy and operations in coordination with affected business operating divisions.
  • Assists in identifying indicators of fraud, developing enforcement recommendations and developing potential criminal fraud referrals to IRS Criminal Investigation, and pursuing civil fraud penalty assertions, and other treatment streams to improve filing and payment compliance with current and emerging issues, when appropriate.
  • Leverages partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to identify and develop leads that relate to fraud and other high-risk noncompliance areas, which are shared with the applicable case selection functions for consideration.
  • Collaborates with internal and external partners to increase fraud awareness though outreach and education and support fraud objectives.
  • Conducts research projects to identify emerging threats and high-risk areas of noncompliance through data analytics, submitting proposals for implementing a campaign or compliance initiative project to the applicable case selection function for consideration.

Vision

OFE's vision is to form a community of internal and external stakeholders that work together to combat tax fraud, protect the U.S. Treasury and ensure all taxpayers pay their fair share.

Overview

The Office of Fraud Enforcement (OFE) consists of the Fraud Enforcement Policy Office, Fraud Enforcement Field Office, Fraud Enforcement Advisor groups and Emerging Threats Mitigation Team. OFE works in conjunction with National Fraud Counsel.

To recognize and combat fraud, OFE:

  • Uses cutting edge technology.
  • Introduces new technologies, methods and advancements.
  • Provides specialized training on new techniques, tools and initiatives.
  • Identifies and mitigates threats to tax administration and the U.S. financial system.
  • Partners with National Fraud Counsel to provide legal support and guidance to our fraud enforcement advisors, as they seek to increase the development of civil fraud cases and criminal referrals.

Strategic goals

  • Provide direct support to IRS employees working tax cases to help them identify and combat fraud.
  • Use the newest technology and data analytics in fraud prevention efforts.
  • Partner with stakeholders to create a holistic efficient approach to meet our programs mission.

Additional information