How to Combat Value-Added Tax Refund Fraud

August 4, 2023

Preview Citation

Format: Chicago

Cedric Andrew, and Katherine Baer. How to Combat Value-Added Tax Refund Fraud, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2023) accessed December 21, 2024

Summary

A previous IMF Working Paper on value-added tax (VAT) refunds (WP/07/31, by Keen and Smith) describes the main forms of VAT noncompliance and concludes that VAT is susceptible to evasion and fraud like any other tax. This paper shows the insidious nature and extent of VAT refund fraud in selected EU countries and argues that this type of noncompliance requires tax administrations to adopt a coordinated strategy and deploy a range of countermeasures to combat this threat. Because such fraud is primarily a criminal legal issue, tackling it successfully will require cooperation, both internationally between VAT administrations and nationally between tax authorities and the judiciary. The paper’s focus is primarily on advanced economies in the context of the EU, but many of the recommendations are applicable to emerging market and developing countries. A separate IMF How to Note discusses managing VAT refunds in developing countries.

Subject: Crime, Economic sectors, Revenue administration, Tax administration core functions, Tax policy, Tax refunds, Taxes, Value-added tax

Keywords: Acquisition fraud scheme, Cooperation, Customs and Excise tax office case study, Fraud, Middle East, MTIC VAT Contra carousel scheme, Refund, Refund fraud, Return fraud, Strategies, Tax administration core functions, Tax refunds, Value-added tax

Publication Details

Pages:

31
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

How-To Note No 2023/001
Stock No:

HTNEA2023001
ISBN:

9798400228728
ISSN:

2522-7912

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