Supporting Statement Identity Theft

Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA)

IRS Customer Service Provided to Victims of Identity Theft

1. Purpose

The Department of the Treasury is conducting an independent survey to evaluate the level of customer service Internal Revenue Service (IRS) employees provide taxpayers who have been affected by identity theft. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), which is part of the Department of the Treasury but independent of the IRS, conducts independent reviews of the IRS.

2. Methodology

We have prepared a paper survey instrument that we will mail to a statistically valid sample of 1,500 taxpayers (hoping for a 20 percent response rate). If we don’t at least achieve a 20 percent response rate, we will follow up with a telephone call to the taxpayers asking the same questions on the paper survey instrument.

3. Design

This voluntary survey should take approximately15 minutes to complete and will address the following concerning IRS assistance to victims of identity theft.

• The methods the taxpayer used to receive IRS assistance;

• The time it took the IRS to resolve the taxpayer’s issue;

• The taxpayer’s level of satisfaction with the assistance provided.

The survey will be conduct via a postal mailer and respondents are provided a pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope for return responses.

4. Estimation of Burden

The collection of information will involve completion of the voluntary survey provided to respondents, via a survey questionnaire (mailer) based on a statistically valid sample of taxpayers with identity theft indicators on their accounts. The average survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. From the population of taxpayers, 1,500 survey questionnaires will be mailed. Respondents are asked to return the survey in the postage-paid envelope provided. Treasury anticipates a 20% response rate of 300 survey questionnaires returned. Therefore, the total estimated burden for this survey is 75 hours.

No. of Mailers	1,500
No. of Respondents	300
Hours Per Response	0.25 hr. (15 minutes)
Total Estimated Burden	75

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