<prompt> Human: Heres the story, Im hoping to get some advice on the best way to handle the shitty situation I find myself in. My mother has been buying and selling stuff on Ebay to make a living for like five years now. Shes really good at it, and makes a decent amount of money from it annually, around forty thousand. A few years back, Ebay changed a lot of their policies, making it much harder for people to sell professionally. These rule changes resulted in my mother being banned from selling, for something ridiculous like having more than three pieces of negative feedback. Faced with losing her income, my mom was understandably distraught. She approached me, and asked if I would be comfortable with her selling in my name. Being entirely ignorant of how taxable income works, and not wanting my mother to become impoverished, I agreed. I set up a savings account, gave my mother the information to it, and she linked it to a PayPal account and continued on her merry way. Shes been selling under my name for like three years now. A few months ago, the IRS sent me a letter informing me of all this money I shouldve paid them, as taxes from all this money I supposedly made selling shit online, with a several thousand dollar fee for not disclosing this income to them in the first place. The sum is approximately 14,000 dollars, and thats just for a single year, which means theres way more that they havent followed up on yet. I freaked out, told my mom about this and gave her the letter Id received. She was very apologetic and promised to rectify it, but that was months ago. I havent heard from her in a while now. Shes always had a strict policy of avoidance when it comes to her creditors, and I fear that includes me now too. What do I do? I feel like the only way to save myself financially would be to tell the IRS that my mom did this without my knowledge, but Im worried that would get her charged with fraud. I think Id rather declare bankruptcy than ruin my moms life.  <response>: Ebay changed a lot of their policies, making it much harder for people to sell professionally.This sounds like nonsense to me as people sell professionally on Ebay all the time. More likely your mom was caught defrauding someone She was very apologetic and promised to rectify it, but that was months ago. I havent heard from her in a while now. Thats because she knows the jig is up and shes been caught, Id be surprised if she ever attempts to repair anything. but Im worried that would get her charged with fraud.Fraud or at least identity theft is exactly what shes guilty of. I think Id rather declare bankruptcy than ruin my moms life.So she uses your name to ruin YOUR life for her benefit then disappears when you catch her in the act and youre worried about what will happen to her so youre willing to screw up your life even more by declaring bankruptcy for her?I know shes your mom but you gotta draw the line somewhere. 