New Client... New Beginnings...

[MAJ]

SO... New client tonight.
A married couple with a new baby. He's an illegal immigrant trying to get legal.
He has a legit SS# assigned by the IRS. He has a letter from the IRS asking for $38. it has the new SS#.
He has 4-5 W2's for 2022 with a different SS# -

Her: Oh. That's the old one he used to use. It's a fake one.
Her: The old preparer used to file them.
Me: Do you have copies of those tax returns?
Her: Sure I can bring them tomorrow.

If he has a valid SS# from the IRS and has 5-W2s with an invalid SS#. Am I using the invalid # until I get caught or until he's a citizen?
Part of me says RUN! But the other half is intrigued because I've never run into anything like this in 20 years. I was however a VICTIM of identity theft for 12 years by someone doing EXACTLY what this guy did in the past. Not judging. We do what we need to do.

I am curious to see what the other preparer did.

Thoughts?

[TaxGuyBill]

If he has a 'real' SSN that belongs to him, use his actual SSN on the tax return.

But on the W-2 worksheets in the software, enter the SSN that the W-2 shows. From what I've read, this is a fairly common scenario.

[Dude]

If they are claiming a refundable credit like EITC I would feign an injury

[Uncle Sam]

Sounds like something I had years ago. Not with illegal Social Security numbers or immigrants.
A new client comes to me about 30 years ago.
A MFJ return. So I go through the normal questioning and get tax returns prepared and filed.
Soon afterwards they get an IRS letter claiming additional tax was due.
I get the transcript and I see more employment information for husband than he showed me.
It turns out that their son - who has the same name as the father - was using his father's Social Security
number when starting his employment places during the year.
I just sent them out the door because I just couldn't work with them.
Nothing I explained to them were they willing to listen to.

[terryats]

Many years ago (1990's) I did taxes in a mostly Mexican neighborhood (several illegals) Several had a letter with a SS number from IRS, and W2's were all different. I called the IRS, and was told to use the SS number on the letter from IRS, and don't worry about the W2's with different SS numbers. The IRS was tracking them by the number assigned to them by IRS. The W2's deducted SS that they would never collect on (the illegals), and would help the SS system.