Identity theft and taxes

Safeguard Your Credit, Identity and SSN. Access IRS Tax Forms. Complete, Edit or Print Tax Forms Instantly. How does identity theft affect your taxes?

How to protect yourself against tax identity theft?

How can identity thieves steal your tax refund? Your taxes can be affected if your Social Security number is used to file a fraudulent return or to claim a refund or credit. A taxpayer ’s SSN can be stolen through a data breach, a computer hack or a lost wallet. Each taxpayer ’s experience will vary, depending on whether you tell us you may be a tax-related identity theft victim or we tell you we have a suspicious tax return with your name on it. With tax identity theft , a criminal uses your name, birth date and social security number to file a fraudulent tax return.

Besides those three pieces of information, all of the details of the return are typically false – engineered to calculate the largest tax refund possible. Recovering from Identity Theft.

Is someone using your personal information to open accounts, file taxes , or make purchases? What Happens After You Report Identity Theft to the IRS You try to file your tax return and find out that someone has already filed under your Social Security Number. This means that you’re a victim of tax identity theft – or more specifically, stolen identity refund fraud. The IRS does not initiate communication with taxpayers through e-mail.

I tried to e-file but it was rejected because a return was already filed with my social security number. Take a look at the below IRS website. It should answer all your questions regarding identity theft and the IRS. If someone uses your information to file a fraudulent tax return, he or she is looking to get your tax refund.

If you live in one of locations, you are eligible for the online IP PIN Opt-In Program. The primary purpose of the form is to provide a method of reporting identity theft issues to the IRS so that the IRS may document situations where individuals are or may be victims of identity theft. Additional purposes include the use in the determination of proper tax liability and to relieve taxpayer burden.

These contacts can lead to tax-related fraud and identity theft. We urge people to take extra care during this period. Thieves use this information to get medical services or send fake bills to your health insurer.

The form may be filled out online, then printed and mailed or faxed.

Tax-related ID theft can affect you in two main ways: Someone uses your (stolen) identification information to file a fraudulent tax return and get a refund. Tax identity theft , sometimes called tax frau occurs when a thief uses your information to file a fraudulent tax return to steal money from the IRS. Identity theft is someone else using your information for an unlawful purpose.

Identity (ID) theft happens when someone steals your personal information to commit fraud. The identity thief may use your information to fraudulently apply for credit, file taxes , or get medical services. These acts can damage your credit status, and cost you time and money to restore your good name. Tax identity theft occurs when someone steals your Social Security Number (SSN) and uses it to file a fraudulent return in your name in order to steal your refund (assuming that you’re entitled to one).

Unlike some other forms of identity theft, it can be hard to take preventative measures to avoid tax identity theft. Protecting your tax file if identity theft is suspected When you receive a notice from the IRS regarding activity about which you are unaware, respond immediately. According to the General Accountability Office (GAO), the IRS paid out 5. GAO the real figure is probably significantly higher.

Tax Identity Theft If you get an IRS notice in the mail that says someone used your Social Security number to get a tax refun follow the instructions provided in the letter. Casualty and theft loss are recognized by the IRS as valid tax deductions. The rule of thumb to keep in mind if you think this deduction applies to you is the occurrence must have been unpreventable.