Protect Yourself from Scammers Who Want Your Tax Return
For the most part, the identity theft methods to guard against during tax season are the same ones criminals use during the rest of the year.
DailyFinance.com calls tax identity fraud a "specialized and sophisticated form of theft." According to a post on the site, thieves are stealing year-end statements, W-2s and other income information to file returns on victims' behalf. The report says that during the 2011 tax processing year, roughly 940,000 tax returns were filed fraudulently, and this year, that number will likely increase to 1 million. How do you protect yourself? First, shred any paperwork you don't need for tax preparation. Second, be wary of a slow-running computer or out-of-place pop-ups when filing taxes online. Also, be suspicious of any phone calls or e-mails claiming to be from the IRS, even with the appropriate logos. According to the IRS website: "The IRS …
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