COLUMBUS — People who try to run a scam telling African-Americans they are eligible for a tax break if they are descendants of slaves could face up to five years in prison under a bill introduced in the Ohio House.

        The bill was prompted by a wave of fraudulent schemes across the country that offer minorities help — for a fee — in filling out tax forms to get slave reparations. The IRS does not have a deduction for reparations.

        Rep. Sam Britton, D-Cincinnati, sponsored the bill after reading about people in Alabama, Mississippi and other states who run scams based on false claims that the government is making slave reparations.

        “There have been reports of scams ... throughout the country of people who are scamming older African-Americans,” Mr. Britton said. “I just don't want it to happen to people who I may be representing.”

        Under terms of the bill, a person who runs a slave reparations scam could face felony charges, depending on the amount that was swindled. The state attorney general can also file civil charges to get money back for people.

        “The country is not paying reparations at this point, and we need the people who are doing the scamming to be caught and punished for doing it,” Mr. Britton said.

        Chris Kerns, an IRS spokesman in Cincinnati, said reparations tax scams have been a problem for 10 years. He said the IRS had about 80,000 reparations claims nationwide last year. Those who file such claims risk a $500 penalty.

        Stephanie Beougher, a spokeswoman for the Ohio attorney general, said the office has heard about the scam just once in Ohio.

        “We don't have any specific complaints that were actually filed,” she said. “But we did hear from a relative of a senior in the Cleveland area in 2000 that a flier was going around up there.”

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