When you think of identity theft, the first thing that may come to mind is someone stealing your credit card number or opening a credit card in your name. Although this crime is a common form of identity theft, thieves may also use your social security number to obtain employment.
If your social security number is given to an employer by someone other than you, their income will be linked to you. It will appear that you did not report all of your income on your tax return. How will you know if someone used your social security number to get a job?
If you receive a letter from the IRS indicating that more than one tax return was filed for you or if the letter states you did not report income from an employer that you did not work for, your identity may have been stolen. In this case, respond to the IRS letter immediately. How can you avoid the hassle of identity theft?
According to the FTC, 9 million Americans are victims of identity theft each year. Unfortunately, not all of these cases could have been avoided, but the best thing you can do to avoid identity theft is to safeguard your personal information. The easiest ways to prevent identity theft are: not carrying your social security card, not giving anyone on the phone or internet your personal information, shredding confidential mail and not providing personal information on unsecured websites. These tips may just help you be one less American whose identity was stolen. What should you do if you think you might be at risk?
If you believe you may be at risk due to questionable activity on your credit report or lost or missing information, you should submit a copy of your valid government issued ID along with a police report and/or Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, to the IRS. The FTC has guidance on how to report identity theft at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
