DO NOT ACCEPT ANY PHONE CALLS FROM ANYONE SAYING THEY ARE FROM THE IRS ASKING FOR YOUR INFO** - THEY SEND LETTERS - LETTERS - LETTERS. THEY DO NOT CALL!
There have been reports that phishers, scammers and other thieves have come up with ways to take enough of a taxpayer's information that they are filing tax returns on unsuspecting citizens, who must go through months and possibly years of anguish over stolen refunds.
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| Going in Person |
There are a lot of laughs to be had in the movie, "Identity Theft" but it is not funny that it parallels the hell a person goes through when someone else decides to take a ride on their identity.
Melissa McCarthy in "Identity Theft Trailer"
If you have any reason to think there is a possibility someone has stolen your identity, or you are a victim of identity theft, the video below gives simple information about what to do if this happens to you.
IRS Video - YouTube - Identity Theft
The IRS has a new tool called idverify.irs.gov. Taxpayers may receive a letter when the IRS stops suspicious tax returns that have indications of being identity theft but contains a real taxpayer’s name and/or Social Security number.
Only those taxpayers receiving Letter 5071C should access idverify.irs.gov.
The website will ask a series of questions that only the real taxpayer can answer.
Aside from waltzing into a local Internal Revenue Office with your 507-1C letter from the IRS,(which are usually contained in some type of Federal complexes, where you have to pass through metal detectors and be wand-ed by U.S. Marshall's), you can now go to "ID Verify dot irs dot gov and safely identify your identification.
Pay attention to the bold warning when you land on the id verify site, because trying to use someone's personal information other than your own on that site will get you some serious trouble with State and Federal Law Enforcement, or maybe just the Internal Revenue Service, The Treasury and Department of Justice. It is not a very good idea. Those who do these things will get caught. It is a matter of time.
For the hearing impaired, the IRS has informational videos to keep you in the loop as well,
here are some Tax Scams.
ASL: Tax Scams (Captions and Audio) - YouTube
Here is hoping this is helpful in keeping you safe from #identityTheft or #TaxFraud.
- How To Place A Fraud Alert - Link to The Federal Trade Commission
- Report Fraud, Waste, Abuse - Link to Office of Inspector General , SSA
**unless you are already actively working with an agent at the IRS.
