Woman accused of stealing identities to get $400K in tax returns

ORLANDO, Fla. — Federal investigators said an Orange County woman stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax refunds from dozens of people by stealing their identities.

Secret service investigators said Passion McCall pulled off the theft using stolen names and personal information of other people.

Financial adviser and tax expert Tony Frezza said he sees clients who are victimized each year.

"It seems more and more through the Internet and systems and it's bigger rings it seems," he said.

Investigators haven't said if they think McCall is part of a bigger ring, but they said she registered a financial business at a Maitland home and opened a business account at Bank of America.

Investigators said she filed for more than $150,000 in returns using the Maitland home address and tried to hide the fraud by spelling her address different ways, including "Bel Air Street," "Bailair Street," "Bellair St Rm2," "Bellair Steet Room 3" and so on.

In all, more than $400,000 in IRS checks went into McCalls bank account in 80 separate IRS check deposits.

And investigators said less than a year after the account was opened it was drained, with only $3,500 left.

WFTV