Stay safe during tax time!

Have you sent in your tax returns yet? Even though it may seem far away, April 17 is quickly approaching. In recent years, tax season has been a prime time for identity theft and cyber crime. With the recent Equifax breach fresh in our minds, community members have been concerned about their personal data.

We published a blog post specifically about the Equifax breach earlier, but it is important to remember that credit cards are not the only cause for concern. Social security numbers may also be at risk and are a prime target for cyber criminals during tax time.

Here are the four most popular scams to be aware of this season:

1. IRS-Impersonating Phone Scams
   Callers claiming to be IRS employees saying that you owe money and need to pay right now. The IRS will never call you; if you owe money, they will send you a bill.
2. Phishing and Malware Scams
   Cyber criminals might try a lot of different things to get you to give up personal information. Watch out for an increase in unsolicited emails, text messages, social media posts or fake websites.
3. Fraudulent Tax Return
   The Federal Trade Commission strongly recommends filing your tax return as soon as possible. The IRS can only accept one tax return per Social Security number, so if yours is already filed, it becomes impossible for cyber criminals to file another one with your information.
4. Tax Preparer Fraud
   The overwhelming majority of tax preparers provide honest services, however, to make sure remember that the preparer must sign your return with his or her IRS preparer identification number. 

Tip: If filing online, use a well-known service, create a strong passphrase for your account and  send your tax forms through secure (https) sites only! 

If you suspect tax-related identity theft, you can contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490. For more information about identity theft, visit identitytheft.gov and view our 2018 Tax Time Tipsheet.