File taxes early to avoid tax-ID theft
- Kim Thompson: Better Business Bureau
- February 11, 2020
- 1357
Tax season is here and so are the scammers. Con artists are using the Social Security numbers of unsuspecting Americans to file phony tax returns and steal their refunds. Be on the lookout for this and other tax-season cons.
You file your taxes as normal and expect a refund from the IRS. Instead you get a written IRS notice saying more than one tax return was filed using your Social Security number.
What happened? Scammers got ahold of your personal information such as your Social Security number, address and birth date. They filed your return early and received your refund before you even got around to filing. Tax-ID theft is a particularly sneaky con because victims typically don’t realize they’ve been targeted until they try to file their taxes for real.
Scammers steal your tax information in several ways. You may have fallen for a phishing scam at an earlier time, used a corrupt tax-preparation service or had your information exposed in a hack or data breach. Sometimes tax scammers file in the name of a deceased person or steal children’s identities to claim them as dependents.
File early. The best way to avoid tax-identity theft is to file your taxes as early as possible before a scammer has the chance to use your information.
Protect your Social Security number. Don’t give out your SSN unless there’s a good reason and you’re sure who you’re giving it to.
Research your tax preparer. Make sure your tax preparer is trustworthy before handing over your personal information.
If you are a victim of ID theft, consider getting an Identity Protection PIN. This is a six-digit number, which, in addition to your Social Security number, confirms your identity. Once you apply, you must provide the IP Pin each year when you file your federal tax returns. Visit www.IRS.gov for more information.
For more information about tax scams, check out this tip at www.bit.ly/TipsTaxScams.
If you are the victim of tax-identity theft in the U.S., call the IRS at 1-800-908-4490. You also should file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP. The FTC also offers a personalized identity-theft recovery plan at www.identitytheft.gov.
If you have been targeted by this or another scam, help others avoid the same problem by filing a report at www.BBB.org/ScamTracker.
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