How to Stay Safe This Tax Season

January 22, 2018

•

2 min read

With tax season quickly approaching, now is the perfect
time to spread the word about Tax Fraud Awareness week (January 29- Feb 2). In the 2016 tax filing season, there was a 400% increase in tax-related phishing and malware attacks. With fraudulent activity at an all time high, it is important to be familiar with
ways to stay safe this upcoming tax season. The graphic below provides recent facts on tax scams as well as tips on ways to keep your personal information from being compromised and falling victim to a tax scam. The most important tips to take away from this
are the following:

1. File Early

Not only are you benefiting from an earlier tax return, but you will also be protecting your personal information from scammers.
The earlier you file, the less of a chance you have of becoming a victim of tax fraud.

2. Be Aware of scams

Scammers have become more crafty with how they collect your personal data. It is important to know that the
IRS
will never call or visit your home for any tax related queries. Mail and email are the frequent means of communication
by the IRS and any other form of communication should be considered a scam.

3. Shred Important Documents

Make it a habit to dispose your personal information once deemed unnecessary. Tax scammers will spare no expense to snatching
your personal documents that are easily accessible.

Another tip that can be very beneficial to taxpayers is
to sign up with a service that specializes in identity theft protection. LifeLock’s
identity
theft protection service is one example, and was named as one of the best options in 2018 by A Secure Life thanks
to their 24/7 customer support and detection technology. Having a service that alerts you with any activity on your personal information is a smart solution to stay safe from scams this tax season.