Good points about the person being impersonated subject to (completely involuntary) risks. I probably should have phrased my question to specifically ask about situations where the impersonated is involved and asked to participate in the scheme. I would agree that it's not OK to just... start using someone else's identity without permission.

In sibling comments, some other great points were made about the risk profile for the company if you do this without their knowledge. I'm less convinced that I should care about risk towards the company, but from a legal standpoint it probably holds up.

> Does the IRS see that?

This is my concern here. Sounds like a new worse version of identity theft.

The most powerful players are not part of the con but they benifit from it. The gov gets its taxes. The corporation gets a worker that does the job.

In cases like these where the victim is only indirectly robbed the powers that be are not very responsive. Double so when the enforcer (IRS) is also indirectly benefiting from the crime by having your taxable income jacked from 23% to 37% because there are several people with real jobs working under your name.

I already feel bad for the first people to have to deal with this legal situation. It will take years for the IRS to wake up and do something about it. Meanwhile their lives will be wrecked.

The worst part might be that no one will really care. Since this is targeting tech workers that are by many considered to be privileged and over compensated. People will just sarcastically say things like boo whoo did you get over taxed, you'll find a way to deal with it.