Unlike the civil divisions of the IRS, an offer to pay the tax owed will not deter a special agent’s investigation. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division and their special agents frequently utilize certain tactics to collect more information about a target, which include:
- Examining public records including Department of Motor Vehicles’ registrations, asset searches, and real estate title changes
- Contacting credit bureaus and examining your credit report
- Picking up and going through the trash at your residence or business
- Having the post office provide a list of every piece of mail you or your business receives (mail covers)
- Putting you under surveillance
- Conducting undercover operations
- Interviewing third party witnesses, usually starting with those not likely to contact you
- Issuing third party summons
- Issuing search warrants
- Conducting personal interviews; often special agents will surprise you at home or other unexpected places early in the morning or late at night.
If you have any questions or if we can further assist you, please contact our San Diego office.
For more information, please see:
- Criminal Tax Defense Main Page
- More about the Criminal Investigation Division
- Visit from an IRS Special Agent
- Are You a Criminal Investigation Target?
- About IRS Criminal Investigations
- IRS Methods of Proving Tax Fraud and Tax Evasion
- Criminal Investigation Division Tactics
- Tax Crimes
- Tax Crimes – Perjury