By KRWG News
New Mexico – The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department says it has received 300 false state income tax returns totaling more than $716,000 since Feb. 12.
The department's Tax Fraud Investigations Division intercepted 281of those bogus returns but 19 returns totaling about $32,000 were processed and paid.
Officials say they are working with the Internal Revenue Service and federal law enforcement agencies to bring charges against the filers of the fake tax returns.
Department investigators uncovered a similar scheme last year while working with the IRS and the case resulted in several indictments.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.