Have You Heard About Tax Identity Theft?
Ready for tax season? If you haven’t heard
about tax identity theft, you may not be.
Tax identity theft happens when someone
files a phony tax return using your personal information — like your Social
Security number — to get a tax refund from the IRS. It also can happen
when someone uses your Social Security number to get a job or claims your child
as a dependent on a tax return. Tax identity theft is the most common form of
identity theft reported to the Federal Trade Commission.
The IRS says tax identity theft is a top priority and says it has hired new
staff, explored new technologies, and adopted new procedures to fight it.
For these reasons, I am participating in
Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, along with other federal, state, and local
officials and law enforcement agencies. Here’s what you can do to lessen the
chance you’ll be a victim:
·
File your tax return early in the
tax season, if you can.
·
Use a secure internet connection if you
file electronically, or mail your tax return directly from the post office.
·
Shred copies of your tax return, drafts,
or calculation sheets you no longer need.
·
Respond to all mail from the IRS as
soon as possible.
·
Know the IRS won’t contact you by
email, text, or social media. If the IRS needs information, it will contact you
by mail.
·
Don’t give out your Social Security
number (SSN) unless necessary.
·
Research a tax preparer thoroughly
before you hand over personal information.
·
If your SSN has been compromised,
contact the IRS ID Theft Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490.
·
Check your credit report at least once
a year for free at annualcreditreport.com
to make sure no other accounts have been opened in your name.
What if
you’re a victim? Tax identity theft victims typically find out about the crime when
they get a letter from the IRS saying that more than one tax return was filed
in the their name, or IRS records show they received wages from an employer they
don’t know. If you get a letter like this, don’t
panic. Contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490.
More information about tax identity theft is available from
the FTC at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft, the IRS at irs.gov/identitytheft, and from [state/local
office].
See how our protection stacks up.
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