Following up on last week’s blog announcing the FTC’s Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, here is a review of steps to take if you have the unfortunate experience of falling victim.
If you think someone used your SSN for a tax refund or a job — or the IRS sends you a notice or letter indicating a problem — contact the IRS immediately. Specialists will work with you to get your tax return filed, get you any refund you are due, and protect your IRS account from identity thieves in the future.
A first step is to contact the IRS and report the fraud to the IRS
Send a copy of your police report or an IRS ID Theft Affidavit Form 14039 and proof of
your identity, such as a copy of your Social Security card, driver’s license or passport.
Update your files being sure to record the dates you made calls or sent letters. Keep copies of letters in your files.
To limit further damage, once you’ve contacted the IRS, you should also consider putting a fraud alert on your credit reports and ordering fresh copies of your credit reports for review.
For more information on best practices regarding identity theft protection, please visit www.hvshred.com