Identity theft is a growing problem and happens when someone else uses your information/identity as if it were their own. It’s a serious crime that can damage your finances, credit history, and inflict an emotional toll. The recovery process can take time, money, and patience to resolve. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, it takes 600 hours to restore your identity after a theft has taken place. This means your best bet is prevention.
There are two primary actions that you should take:
• Review your credit report regularly at annualcreditreport.com
Reviewing your credit report helps you catch signs of identity theft early. By law, you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from the three major bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This site is the only official site authorized by federal law to provide them. Review your reports annually and look for any suspicious activity.
If you find false information on it, get it corrected. Also, you can place a free 90-day fraud alert
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The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email or social media to request personal or financial information. If you receive a scam email claiming to be from the IRS, forward the email to phishing@irs.gov.
• An unexpected phone call from someone claiming to be an IRS agent, either threatening you with arrest or deportation if you fail to pay immediately, is a scam. In another variation, the caller requests your financial information in order to send you a refund. Report these calls and other IRS impersonation schemes to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484 or online at IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting.
• If you discover a website that claims to be the IRS but does not begin with 'www.irs.gov,' forward the link to phishing@irs.gov.
Do you need identity theft
Now the following information is well documented and is presented for your review and edification. Do not try to fight the IRS in federal court, you will not win. The deception runs rampant throughout the executive, legislative and judicial branches.
Figuring out if an identity is stolen is not easy only because it can be unknown until damage is dealt. This is why identity theft isn’t easy to stop. When most people report a crime, police arrive on the scene before serious damage is dealt, but when a thief steals a person’s identity, the victim can be unaware for quite some time before they realize the amount of money they lost. According to Tracey Whittaker and Anne Dilascio, in 2003, the average money lost from identity theft per person was $4,789, but in 2006 the average was less than $2000. The average out-of-pocket cost of identity theft victims in 2005 was
When illegal immigrants claiming the earned income tax credit are found to have fraudulent Social Security Numbers, the IRS issues them temporary numbers and sends them checks anyway (64).
How do we protect Karen Greenwood of North Carolina? There are many resources that educate on tax fraud available online to Karen and each time we hear “I didn’t know they could do that”. IRS.gov has dedicated an entire site to educate, inform and provide tools to protect from tax fraud. Simple in concept to do the research yet many citizens do not even know these resources exist.
If you do discover that someone has tried to scam your business and fraudulently gain W-2 information, contact the IRS immediately.
If you do receive such a call, ask the caller to provide you with identification and contact information for the organization they are purporting to represent, do not make any commitments over the phone, and follow up with the identified organization directly by visiting their website and contacting them through the methods provided on the
Ms. Synder advised she contacted the IRS and learned an income tax return was filed using her name and social security number ending in 8131 and her husband`s name and social security number ending in 6092 approximately one week prior to 01/25/2016. They were unable to learn any further details about the fraudulent income tax return.
On April 15, 2005, Peggy Schmeiler, my father-in-law’s wife called the IRS Whistleblowers Hotline and informed them that we were living too well for our income. She followed the phone call by mailing them a Claim for Award
The names of the websites may sound official, but the real USCIS website, www.uscis.gov, does not charge for forms and information. Additionally, you must never enter personal information, especially social security numbers or other identifying numbers, on these scam websites
The caller claims to be from the IRS, and states that monies are owed, that the IRS is filing suit against the recipient of the call, and that a warrant is being issued for the call recipient’s arrest, unless funds are paid and information is given. Sometimes it is an automated call that instructs the call recipient to call back. This is a scam. The IRS does NOT call individuals regarding any tax issues. If you, a friend or family member, or a customer receives one of these calls, hang up. If a message is received, do not call back. The United States Treasury and the IRS are aware of these scam calls, and have warnings on their websites
Identity Theft is the assumption of a person’s identity in order to obtain credit cards from back account and retailers; the crime varies from stealing money from existing bank accounts; renting apartments or storage units; applying for loans or establishing accounts using another’s name (legal dictionary, 2007). Identity theft and identity fraud are terms that are often used
Identity theft is the fastest growing fraud crime in America (Finklea, 2009). Gaining knowledge in preventing theft will better the economy and lower the crime rates in America. There are reported 9.9 million victims of identity theft and this number is increasing rapidly as the years go on. It has been reported that an estimate of fifty billion dollars has been charged to our consumers every year due to identity theft (Finklea, 2009).
By definition “Identity theft n. the dishonest acquisition of personal information in order to perpetrate fraud, typically by obtaining credit, loans, etc., in someone else's name; fraud perpetrated in this way. ” (dictionary.oed.com, 2007). It’s estimated that 9 million Americans have had their identities stolen each year. “According to the Secret Service, its investigations show a jump in potential losses due to identity theft, from $851 million in 1998 to $1.4 billion in 2000.” add citation from how stuff works There are many ways that thieve steal your identity, they may go through your trash, steal your wallet or purse. I will discuss a lot of the different ways in more
First Contact your bank, your credit card company(s) and any other financial institution you are affiliated with and let them know that you think you are a victim.
3. Now get a copy of your credit report and review it carefully, and close all accounts that were fraudulently opened or used. File a police report. Finally file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. You can go to ftc.gov or call 1-877-ID-THEFT follow up in writing and send copies of the documents that support your claim.