What to Do If You’re a Victim of Identity Fraud During Tax Season
Tax season is stressful enough, but if you’ve been the victim of identity fraud, it can be especially overwhelming. Your tax return is delayed and you have no idea what to do next. Scammers who use tax identity fraud have become more and more crafty with their schemes.
Don’t worry—there are steps you can take to report identity theft and protect yourself from further damage. Here’s what you need to know.
Steps to Take If You’re A Victim of Identity Fraud During Tax Season
Step 1: Report the Fraud Immediately
The first step in dealing with identity theft is to report it right away. If someone has stolen your information and claimed your tax return, contact the IRS immediately at 800-908-4490. They will help you through the process of filing a police report and getting the issue resolved as quickly as possible. It may take some time for them to work with you, but it’s important that you stay on top of this issue so that you don’t become a victim again in the future.
Once you’re confirmed as an identity theft victim the IRS can issue a special Identity Protection Pin that helps to protect you from further tax fraud while still allowing you to file your tax return appropriately.
Step 2: Report the Fraud to Your Bank
You will also want to report identity theft and tax fraud to your bank and credit card companies. They can help ensure that your accounts remain secure, and alert you of any fraudulent activity that may have already occurred, as well as re-issue any cards or checks that may be affected.
Step 3: Get Help from an Identity Theft Protection Service
Once you have reported the fraud, consider signing up for an identity theft protection service like LifeLock or IDShield. These services offer additional layers of security by monitoring your credit reports and alerting you when there are any suspicious activities or attempts at fraud. This way, if someone tries to use your information again, they will be stopped before they can succeed.
Step 4: Take Control of Your Finances
Finally, make sure that you take control of your finances by keeping an eye on all of your accounts and credit reports. Review them regularly to ensure that everything is accurate and up-to-date so that any fraudsters are unable to get away with their schemes again in the future. You should also be sure to shred all documents containing sensitive personal information before throwing them away—this will prevent anyone from going through your trash and stealing your information.
Identity Theft and Tax Season
Identity fraud is unfortunately common during tax season, but if it happens to you there are steps that you can take to ensure that it doesn’t happen again in the future. Start by reporting the fraud immediately to the IRS, the police, and your banks; then consider signing up for a service like LifeLock or IDShield for added security.
Finally, always keep an eye on all of your accounts and credit reports so that no one else can gain access without your knowledge or consent. Taking these steps will help keep you secure during tax season and beyond.
If we can assist you in filing your tax return please contact us.
This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Cowdery Tax and its representatives does not offer legal or tax advice. We offer services for business bookkeeping, payroll, tax payments, and personal tax filings. We share information that is publicly available. Tax laws may change with or without notice that may alter or change the information contained in this publication.
