# Do IRS whistleblowers truely get any payoff?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-irs-whistleblowers-truely-get-any-payoff/447872
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 3, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-irs-whistleblowers-truely-get-any-payoff/447872 "2008-05-03T12:37:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@aluminumdisc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aluminumdisc)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-irs-whistleblowers-truely-get-any-payoff/447872/1 "2008-05-03T12:37:50Z")
If so, I know that it is a l-o-n-g process. I seem to remember an article in The Wall Street Journal or another reputable source that said that even if the IRS collects from the information turned in, people rarely get anything. I can’t find that article and don’t remember who said this. It could have been someone representing the receiving end of the blown whistle.
My wife is onto a big deal where there is tax fraud involved. It is not her employer so being fired is not an issue. She does stand to be vilified locally by the local newspapers and harassed by people in high places if it’s known that she is the one who blew the whistle.
Then again, she has had time to do tons of research into this issue because she does not have a job, therefor the money, if there is any, would help the nonprofit organization that we call home. Her idea of fun is searching public records about local politicians and their campaign contributers, then doing looking into the affairs of their (contributers) affairs and Bingo she found shenanigans.
If there is a payoff it’s worth the trouble, if not it’s just more hassle in our lives.
What is the straight dope?
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### Author:  [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-irs-whistleblowers-truely-get-any-payoff/447872/2 "2008-05-03T15:07:25Z")
[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mrewards.htm](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mrewards.htm)
[http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Taxes/Avoidanaudit/P42263.asp](http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Taxes/Avoidanaudit/P42263.asp)
[http://www.nolo.com/article.cfm/pg/7/objectId/3751F5F7-AE67-431C-924EDF87A31FAAAF/catId/18561DB2-AC42-4896-A8349B2EA7F2043B/213/287/112/FAQ/](http://www.nolo.com/article.cfm/pg/7/objectId/3751F5F7-AE67-431C-924EDF87A31FAAAF/catId/18561DB2-AC42-4896-A8349B2EA7F2043B/213/287/112/FAQ/)
> **[Taxes Resources | Bankrate.com](https://www.bankrate.com/taxes/)**
>
> Find advice on filing taxes, state tax rates, tax brackets and more.
[http://www.whistleblowerlawyerblog.com/irs\_rewards\_program\_tax/](http://www.whistleblowerlawyerblog.com/irs_rewards_program_tax/)
[http://www.rkmc.com/IRS-Now-Authorized-To-Reward-Whistleblowers.htm](http://www.rkmc.com/IRS-Now-Authorized-To-Reward-Whistleblowers.htm)
Official info about the program: [http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p733.pdf](http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p733.pdf)
Here is the form: [http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f211.pdf](http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f211.pdf)