We are all vulnerable to ID theft 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, there are times of the year when we need to be more vigilant about our surroundings. Tax Time is one of them.
This is the time of year that all of your personal information is traveling through the mail. What makes it more tempting for identity thieves is that it is a target rich environment. Steal the mail out of all the mailboxes on a street this time of year and you are sure to get something worthwhile.
Then there is the problem of false tax returns in your name. The IRS is orking to set up systems for identifying fraud that are getting much more accurate at detecting fraud. They also have some tips to help protect yourself.
Here are some we suggest:
•The IRS doesn’t send emails. Don’t respond to them.
•Get your mail in a locked mailbox.
•Send your mail out in a locked mailbox.
•Never answer questions over the phone unless you called them.
For more information on best practices in ID Theft Protection, please visit www.hvshred.com