The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has caught a syndicate that tricked taxpayers into paying them millions of pesos to help with their tax issues. 

BIR Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui said this group of private citizens, who were not affiliated with the bureau, convinced the victim that they had connections with high-ranking BIR officials who could fix their tax problems.

Lumagui said the syndicate managed to extort P3.6 million from the victims by forging the signatures of the BIR commissioner, the deputy commissioners for operations and legal groups, the assistant commissioner of the Large Taxpayer Service, and a revenue district officer.

"The arrest of this syndicate of fixers serves as a reminder to all taxpayers to avoid dealing with these groups and to always verify the authority of any person in dealing with your tax obligations,” Lumagui said.

“We urge the public to report to the BIR these individuals/groups. We will help you entrap and arrest them," he added.

The fixers who were arrested last April 12 used acknowledgment receipts containing forged signatures for various BIR services such as “processing of documents,” “extension of compliance with Computerized Accounting System,” and “processing and fixation of transfer” from one Revenue District Office to another.

The BIR clariefied that the agency handles all taxation processes and taxpayers can complete these in the bureau’s offices, noting that there is no need for a middleman or “fixer” because the agency has a system in place that is adequate and regulated. 

It added that the BIR provided revenue memorandum circulars, revenue memorandum orders, and other regulations to guide taxpayers in dealing with their concerns.