Sadly, identity theft happens throughout the year – but some identity thieves are particularly active during tax-filing season.
How can you protect yourself?
For starters, be suspicious of any phone calls, texts, or emails claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service.
Scammers send these messages out looking for your personal information. If the IRS wants to contact you, it will typically send a letter.
You’ll also need to watch out for fraudulent tax preparers.
They might reveal themselves by asking you to sign a blank return or promising you a big refund without even seeing your information.
If you don’t already have a preparer, ask friends or relatives for recommendations.
Finally, be alert for scammers filing tax returns in your name.
To do so, they need your name, birth date, and Social Security number, so keep this information as private as you can, especially on social media.
It’s unfortunate that identity theft exists, but by taking the proper precautions, you can help insulate yourself from this threat – even when tax season is over.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor John Dickerson. Member SIPC.
