What Does Identity Theft Have To Do With Taxes?

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft is the
number one complaint they receive.

This may not be a surprise to you, but did you know that in 2010, only about
15% of all identity theft complaints to the FTC had to do with tax returns, and
that by 2013, that percentage jumped to over 40%.

If a thief can get your social security number, they can forge a few documents,
they can get your refund. The key to their success is to FILE BEFORE YOU DO!

Conversely, your key to prevent this type of theft, is to file your return before
the thief does. Of course, no one knows when that is, so it is in your best interest
to file as early as possible.

The IRS is aware of this type of theft and, to their credit, has systems in place
to work to prevent this, but they don’t catch them all.

Always take precautions to reduce the risk of being victimized:

1. Don’t just drop mail with sensitive info into your unlocked mailbox, take
them to the post office.

2. If filing taxes or doing anything electronically, be sure you are on a
secure line, and never do anything from a public WiFi spot.

3. File as early as you possibly can.

We are here to help you file and resolve issues related to your tax, personal,
and business life. Call us if you need assistance in any area.

Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,

Bob
(805) 264-3305

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