The IRS wants half of my refund due to their mistake

California

I just received a letter from the IRS telling me that they overpaid me on my refund by $332 so "if I haven't cashed the check yet," (yeah, right) could I please either return it or send them the $332 within 21 days or they'll start charging me interest. They claim they credited my account belonging to another taxpayer. What gives? THEY made a mistake on my refund and now I owe them money? I don't have the money to pay them at the moment, by the way, nor do I want them to start charging me interest. What can I do about this?

[JETX]

"What gives?"
*** I love these posts where people think that for some reason they should benefit from someone elses mistake. Of course, they would NEVER take this position if the roles were reversed and you sent THEM too much money, would you?? Damn right, you would be squealing like a pig demanding that they refund the overpayment due to YOUR error. Why do you think you have any special rights to the benefit???

"THEY made a mistake on my refund and now I owe them money?"
*** Yep.

"I don't have the money to pay them at the moment,"
*** Gee, when you got your refund and saw that it was for more than you were due, why didn't you put that money aside?? Why didn't you contact them and say, "Hey, how come you sent me too much money??". Of course, we know the answers already. GREED!!!

"by the way, nor do I want them to start charging me interest. What can I do about this?"
*** Really simple. Pay them the money that you owe them. Otherwise, they will start charging you interest then just deduct it from any future refund you would have gotten. Pretty simple, huh??

Thanks for your wonderful reply. You must either work for the IRS or have a severly bad sex life, which no doubt is due to your brilliant personality.

Nevertheless, I believe I didn't make myself clear. I was not overpaid. I was due the refund that I received. I checked my records and the amount they originally paid me was correct. Now they are saying that I am only due half of what I received. That I do not understand.

You don't need to respond again. I can do without snide comments from people such as yourself.

[abezon]

This story is way different from what you first posted. If you were supposed to receive $x & received $x, write them back & tell them this. Then ask if they have changed your refund amount & if so, why. It's possible that they really did credit money paid by A to B's account, then send the letter to C (you). Include a copy of the letter they sent you.

[JETX]

Yep, whines and cries about "IRS wants half of my refund" claiming that they overpaid him. Then, when called on it, changes the story.

Yep, seems like a real battle of the wits here. The IRS v. crabbie-dimwit.