Tax season is upon us and this year, after you’ve filed your return and are waiting for your refund, don’t be surprised if someone else has already claimed it.
One of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft is when crooks steal a Social Security number and other personal information, then use it to fool the IRS into diverting the victim’s tax refund.
The number of tax- or wage-related identity theft complaints to the Federal Trade Commission more than tripled from 2005 to 2009, despite a decline in the overall number of ID theft complaints.
But despite the drop in overall complaints to the FTC, there is evidence that identity theft is not slowing down. A recent phone survey conducted nationwide showed the crime jumped 12 percent in 2009.
Although credit card crime has tapered off a bit, it remains the most common identity theft crime. According to the FTC, opening new credit card accounts using another person’s name accounts for about 13.2 percent of total complaints received. Also still rampant is the practice of using a victim’s Social Security number and other information to get a job, which accounts for about 11.1 percent of the total complaints filed.
What can you do to prevent becoming a victim? The first step is to sign up with an identity theft protection service – and the leader in proactive protection is LifeLock. For as little as $10 a month you can be sure your information will be protected. Should an identity thief attempt to use your personal information, you’ll know about it immediately, and steps can be taken to squash the attempt before it gets off the ground.
So call LifeLock today – and sleep better tonight. Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”
