As peak tax season approaches, be aware of any suspicious activity using your personal information. The IRS has reported incidents of tax fraud from victims. There are victims reporting that they are attempting to file their taxes and are being rejected as their social security number has already been used by someone to do so. With on-line methods for banking, shopping, and also a means of bill payment being more popular, it is important to safeguard your personal information. It’s a good idea to purchase a cross cutting shredder and shred all documents that you no longer need prior to discarding them.
If you are a victim of tax fraud, you will need to file a police report with your local law enforcement agency and then with the IRS providing them with your case number. The IRS will investigate the fraudulent activity. It is a good idea to check your credit history periodically through Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion to ensure that you are not an unsuspecting victim.
A reminder that you should never be asked to pay for anything or “owe” any money by purchasing gift cards and providing the identifying number on the back. No law enforcement agency will ever call and solicit money for any reason, especially, through the use of gift cards. Once the number on the card is provided to any person, the monetary value will be taken by that person and you will suffer the loss. You will also never be asked to overnight cash to any location to “get out of legal trouble.” Please contact the police department if you are presented with this type of situation. The police department will only be able to take a report if you are a victim of this type of scam.
The Lady Lake Police Department reminds you that we are here to help protect you from criminal activity but protecting your identity starts with you.
