14 DAY TRIAL // Tax season for identity thieves is like Christmas for merchants: it’s the best time of year to make a profit. That’s why it’s important to be highly cautious when filing your taxes.
In this week’s advisory, Scambook’s Kevan provides 5 easy-to-apply, yet important, tips on how to avoid falling victim to identity theft.
First of all, if you can’t prepare the documents yourself, be sure to seek help only from trusted people. If you think of hiring a commercial tax preparer, check for online reviews to make sure he’s not a scammer.
Another important thing to do is to file your taxes early. That way, you don’t give potential fraudsters too much time to misuse your information.
If you submit your papers via Internet, make sure that the Internet connection you’re using is properly protected. Never send sensitive information from public Wi-Fi spots.
If you use snail-mail, take the documents to the post office yourself.
Finally, remember, the IRS will never ask you to provide sensitive information via email.