Tax Identity Theft & Tips

This blog post is brought to you by Block Advisors. All opinions are 100% mine.

According to identity theft statistics I found from the Bureau of Justice, over 16 million people were victims of identity theft just in the year of 2012.

As you may have heard on the news, online, or somewhere else, identity thieves are coming out like crazy during this tax season. It's all I've been hearing about lately!

Identity theft is something that you never want to be a victim of. It can lead to someone taking your identity, filing a fraudulent return, taking your tax refund, taking out debt in your name, and more.

During tax season, identity thieves creep out of the woodwork and hunker down in front of their computers. This is a lucrative time of the year for criminals.

The IRS claims that they have stopped nearly 1.5 million confirmed identity theft returns and nearly $11 billion in fraudulent refunds, but there are still more people out there who are going to still try.

The Federal Trade Commission has the tips below so that you can lower your chances of being a victim of identity theft:

1. Know who you share information with. So many people share personal information with strangers. It is crazy.
2. Store your personal information securely.
3. Ask plenty of questions before you tell someone any information of yours. Yes, this means on the phone, in person, in an email, and so on!
4. Maintain appropriate security on your computers and other electronic devices. Before you log into an unknown wifi or go on a website that you are unfamiliar with, make sure that you are safe!

Related:

• Identity Theft Impacts Millions Each Year, Could You Be Next?
• What To Do If You’re A Victim Of Identity Theft

Block Advisors also offers Tax Identity Shield, which does::

• A pre-tax season scan to provide awareness of tax identity theft risk
• Customized advice and year round tips and education on how to reduce the risk of identity theft
• A proactive defense to help protect future tax returns from being stolen
• Early detection of any fraudulent returns submitted through Block Advisors with a notification to a secure email address
• Expert guidance and support with our restoration services, in the event of tax identity theft

I recommend looking into Block Advisors. Block Advisors is your year-round dedicated tax partner, offering both tax preparation and tax planning experience. They realize that tax preparation is not one-size fits all, and that people should look into managing their tax situation year round, instead of just one time each year. Additionally, if you run a small business, Block Advisors can provide your back-end needs including payroll, bookkeeping and more to serve all of your tax and accounting needs. With more than 280 Block Advisors offices across the country, you can think of Block Advisors as your hometown tax advisor.

Since it’s the first year, Block Advisors is offering 50% off what you paid someone else last year. Take advantage of this offer through March 31 (Subject to $100 minimum charge). Visit BlockAdvisors.com for more information.

This blog post is brought to you by Block Advisors. All opinions are 100% mine.