As tax season gets underway, Pinellas County Consumer Protection and the Federal Trade Commission remind residents to be vigilant in protecting their personal and financial information.
Tax identity theft happens when someone uses a Social Security number that isn’t theirs to receive a tax refund or job. To help ensure public safety and welfare, Consumer Protection has scheduled several events from Jan. 28 - Feb. 2 in recognition of Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week.
The week is dedicated to educating the public on identity theft prevention and related scams. The events during Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week include several free shredding events and Identity Theft Protection presentations.Here are proactive steps for citizens to lessen the chance of becoming a victim:
• Filing tax returns early in the tax season
• Using a secure internet connection to file electronically
• Mailing tax returns directly from the post office
• Shredding any extra copies of tax documents
• Responding to mail from the IRS as soon as possible
• Remembering that the IRS will not contact taxpayers by email, text or social media
• Only giving out Social Security numbers or Medicare numbers when absolutely necessary.
• Checking credit reports at least once a year free of charge at www.annualcreditreport.com.
Those who believe they are victims of tax identity theft should contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at (800) 908-4490. For more information about identity theft, contact Pinellas County Consumer Protection at (727) 464-6200 or visit www.pinellascounty.org/consumer.