Tax Identity Theft Awareness
Tax Identity Theft Awareness
Tax identity theft happens when someone uses your Social Security number (SSN) to get a tax refund or a job. You might find out it’s happened when you get a letter from the IRS saying that more than one tax return was filed with your SSN, or IRS records show you earned income from an employer you don’t know. The IRS may also reject your
To help fight tax identity theft:
• File your return as early in the tax season as you can.
• Use a secure internet connection if you file electronically or mail your tax return from the post office.
Dealing with Tax-Related Identity Theft
If the IRS sends a notice or letter saying that someone used your SSN to get a tax refund, or saying there’s another problem, respond quickly and follow the instructions in the letter.
• Call the IRS using the telephone number given in the letter. Visit the IRS’s guide, IRS Identity Theft Victim Assistance: How It Works, for more information.
• If you think someone used your SSN to file for a tax refund, but you haven’t gotten a letter from the IRS, use IdentityTheft.gov to report it to the IRS and FTC and get a recovery plan.
• Visit IdentityTheft.gov to complete an IRS Identity Theft Affidavit (IRS Form 14039) and submit it to the IRS online so that the IRS can begin resolving your case. You’ll also be reporting the identity theft to the FTC.
Other Steps to Repair Identity Theft
It is important to limit the potential damage from identity theft.
• Put a fraud alert on your credit reports.
• Order your free credit reports and close any new accounts opened in your name.
• Consider placing a credit freeze on your credit reports.
Source: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/tax-related-identity-theft
