Identity theft and tax refunds

Simply put, tax -related identity theft (or tax refund identity theft ) is when someone uses a stolen Social Security number to file a tax return. Tax -related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen Social Security number to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. Or, the IRS may send you a letter saying we have identified a suspicious return using your SSN. IRS Identity Theft Victim Assistance: How It Works.

You try to file your tax return and find out that someone has already filed under your Social Security Number. If someone uses your information to file a fraudulent tax return , he or she is looking to get your tax refund. This fraud is particularly pernicious . With tax season in full swing, identity theft related tax fraud has become a hot topic. While taking steps to protect yourself from identity theft is . An identity thief may use your Social Security number (SSN) to get a tax refund or a job. This is tax-related identity theft.

You may not know it has happened until:. The number of reported tax identity theft victims through October is down, the IRS says. Do you think that your Identity was stolen and used for fraudulent Tax Returns ? Here are instructions on what to do next. Your identity was stolen this year, and used to file a fraudulent tax return.

Maybe you found out about it when you tried to e-file your return and discovered that . You submit your records and receipts to your tax accountant who prepares and submits your tax return. Then, instead of sitting back to receive . A coordinated crackdown on tax -relate ID theft has drastically reduced the numbers of new refund fraud victims. The following is a checklist to help you gather information for law enforcement if your identity was used to file a fraudulent income tax return.

The department uses a variety of tools to protect taxpayers and prevent others from trying to file false tax returns with personal information stolen from identity. Learn about the warning signs! Tax identity theft usually occurs when a criminal is using your social security number to file your tax return before you do. If you wait to file your taxes , you could leave yourself open to fraudsters claiming refunds in your name. It all started one fateful day when an identity thief used my name, Social Security number and birth date to file a fraudulent tax return , netting the . Though tax ID theft is on the decline, there have been a countless amount of victims.

As tax season approaches, read to find out how you can . Stolen Identity Refund Fraud (SIRF) Enforcement. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses a Social Security Number ( SSN) to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. Taxpayers are normally not. Taxes Site - Identity Theft. What is the department doing to prevent refund fraud?

They often strike early in the . Contact us to put an identity theft flag on your Minnesota tax accounts. Identification verification will occur with Colorado income tax refund claims. The Department of Revenue will mail you correspondence to verify your identity.

Several states have slowed down their tax refund processes in an effort to verify that the refunds are being issued to the right person. And that can raise the risk of becoming a victim of tax-related identity theft. With the April tax filing deadline looming, Illinois state officials are warning the public about identity theft and tax refund fraud. The IRS continued to take new steps and strong actions and Cleveland . Steps to Prevent Tax Refund and ID Theft.

Protect your clients AND your practice from attacks. Hayes, TaxPreparerConnections. Similarly, they may use a . Tax filing season is upon us. Soon you will be filing your paperwork and perhaps receiving a nice check — unless thieves file a return in your .