Publication 4535 IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION AND VICTIM ASSISTANCE
Publication 4535
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What is tax-related identity theft?
Identity theft places a burden on its victims and presents a challenge to many businesses, organizations and governments, including the IRS.
The IRS combats this crime with an aggressive strategy of prevention, detection, victim assistance and outreach.
Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone misuses your Social Security number to file a bogus tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. If you become a victim, we are committed to resolving your case as quickly as possible.
You may be unaware you are a victim of tax-related identity theft until you file your tax return and discover a return was already filed using your SSN.
Be alert to possible tax-related identity theft if you receive an IRS notice or letter that states:
• You filed more than one tax return, and/or
• You owe additional tax, have a refund offset or you have IRS collection actions taken for a year you didn't file a return, or
• IRS records indicate you received wages from an employer unknown to you.
How to reduce your risk
• Don't routinely carry your Social Security card or any document with your SSN on it.
• Don't give a business your SSN just because they ask -- only provide it when absolutely necessary.
• Don't give your personal information over the Internet, phone or mail unless you initiated the contact and/or know the person or business you are dealing with.
• Protect personal information at home on your computers and devices by using
• firewalls,
• anti-spam/virus software,
• update security patches often and
• change passwords for online Internet accounts on a regular basis.
• Review your credit report annually.
• Review your Social Security Administration earnings statement annually.
Steps for victims of identity theft
1. Call companies where you know fraud occurred.
2. Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a `fraud alert' immediately on your credit record and request a copy of your credit report.
• Equifax.com - 1-800-525-6285
• Experian.com - 1-888-397-3742
• TransUnion.com - 1-800-680-7289
3. Use the Federal Trade Commission's online complaint form at ftc.gov/complaint, or call the FTC at 1-877-438-4338, or TTY 1-866-653-4261.
4. Follow FTC's guidance at identitytheft.gov. Identitytheft.gov is the federal government's one-stop resource to help you report and recover from identity theft.
Additional steps for victims of tax-related identity theft
If your SSN is compromised and you know or suspect you are a victim of `tax-related' identity theft, please take these additional steps:
• Respond immediately to any IRS issued notice; call the number provided on the IRS notice and verify you are talking to an IRS employee.
• Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14039.pdf. Mail or fax the form according to instructions. If you are responding to an IRS notice, be sure to include a copy of the notice.
• You only need to file Form 14039 one time.
• If you are an Identity Protection PIN recipient, you don't need to file a Form 14039 to tell us you are a victim of tax-related identity theft.
• Continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must do so by paper.
• If you previously contacted the IRS and don't have a resolution to your identity theft issue, you may call the IRS for specialized assistance at 1-800-908-4490. Hours of operation: Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. your local time (Alaska & Hawaii follow Pacific Time).
Remember
The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. Neither does the IRS call with threats of lawsuits or arrests
About data breaches and your taxes
Not all data breaches or computer hacks result in tax-related identity theft. It's important to know what type of personal information was stolen.
If you've been a victim of a data breach, keep in touch with the company to learn what it is doing to protect you and follow the guidance above, "Steps for victims of identity theft".
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