The man reported the fraud to police. But because the IRS never received the original payment, he said he paid his tax bill again electronically — another $34,000.
SUGAR LAND, Texas — A Sugar Land man says a $34,000 check he mailed to the IRS was stolen and altered, leaving him out tens of thousands of dollars and waiting for answers from his bank.
The man, who asked to be identified only as Eric, said he mailed the check from a Sugar Land post office in January to pay his federal taxes. Weeks later, he received a call from Bank of America alerting him that the check had been cashed — but not by the IRS.
Instead, Eric said, the check had been altered and made out to a different recipient tied to an estate sale.
“The account name and the bank and all the handwriting on it were different,” he said. “The only things that were the same were the routing and account numbers and the amount.”
Eric reported the fraud to Sugar Land police. But because the IRS never received the original payment, he said he paid his tax bill again electronically — another $34,000 — and now expects possible late penalties.
That brings his total loss to $68,000 while he waits for the bank’s investigation to conclude.
A Bank of America representative told him the process could take months, possibly up to six months. Eric said he is not confident he will recover the money.
Attorney Leah Graham with Sorrels Law said Texas law generally places responsibility on banks to verify checks before cashing them.
“Typically, the bank will be liable unless they can show the customer was negligent,” Graham said, such as delaying mailing or failing to report fraud quickly.
Eric said he acted immediately after learning of the issue, but Graham noted that reimbursement timelines can vary.
“That process can take a long time, depending on the bank’s policies and the circumstances of each case,” she said. “It’s important to act quickly and preserve all records.”
Bank of America said it is reviewing the case but provided this link for any customers to report suspicious activity.
Meanwhile, Eric said Sugar Land police are investigating whether his case is connected to a postal worker arrested earlier this month in connection with mail theft.
“I just wanted to help reinforce the fact that this is more widespread than people imagined,” Eric said.
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