Officials: Most taxpayers taking new quiz are passing

Most Ohioans have passed a new quiz being used by the state to catch phony income tax returns, but some of the questions were so obscure that some residents had problems proving their identities.

The quiz is being used for the first time this year to make sure a tax return submitted in someone’s name is genuine and not an attempt by an identity thief to collect a refund check. Questions include: How old is your grandchild? What brand of car do you have? How long is your mortgage?

Myra Warne, of Zanesville, received a letter telling her she had to pass the quiz to receive her refund, but the questions, she said, were so obscure that she failed it twice.

Her first attempt included questions about a car that she owned 10 years ago and her ex-husband’s current address. The second attempt included questions about her former daughter-in-law from 12 or so years ago.

“They aren’t things I would have in my recent knowledge,” she said. “It was very easy to fail.”

Tax Commissioner Joe Testa said in a statement that the new security survey was proving to be “an invaluable tool.”

Testa said 98 percent of the nearly 1 million people asked to take the quiz have passed. About 160,000 filers who were asked to take the quiz still haven’t; he said that is an indication of potential fraud.

Once taxpayers have passed the quiz, the tax department says residents should get their electronic refunds in seven days or mailed checks within 10 to 12 days.

Warne said it took her three to four weeks to get her refund from the beginning of the first quiz. She received her check last week. After she failed the quiz twice, she received a notice stating she would have to compile a copy of her passport, birth certificate and recent utility bill, among other items, to send to the state to prove her identity.

Instead, she contacted State Sen. Troy Balderson’s office. Eventually, Warne said she was asked more recent questions by phone and passed.

“I appreciate the effort to fight fraud,” Warne said. “I wouldn’t have minded if they asked me more recent questions.”

The identity-verifying questions are derived from information taken from national databases and other sources.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.