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Identity Theft

Identity theft has been and will continue to be a real threat. We make every effort to protect data used for income tax preparation. If you intend to send us sensitive data via email, please use the Send a Secure Email link located at the top of our website.or an employee from our office can email you the link directly.

 

What To Do If You Are A Victim of Identity Theft

If you are a victim of identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission recommends these steps:

  • File a complaint with the FTC at identitytheft.gov.
  • Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a ‘fraud alert’ on your credit records: 
  • Contact your financial institutions and close any financial or credit accounts opened without your permission or tampered with by identity thieves.

What To Do If You Receive a 5071C Letter

Some taxpayers may receive an identity verification letter (known as Letter 5071C) from the Internal Revenue Service. Letters are mailed to the address on the tax return. The letter requests that taxpayers call the IRS to answer a series of questions designed to verify the taxpayer’s identity. 

When calling the IRS, you must have the following:

  • 5071C letter
  • Prior year tax return
  • Supporting documentation, such as W-2s, 1099s, etc.

Once verification has occurred, the refund is typically processed in about 6 weeks. 

Be Aware of These Tactics

Telephone scammers pretending to be from the IRS have become increasingly aggressive. Please note that the IRS will NEVER:

1) call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill; 

2) demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe; 

3) require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a pre-paid debit card; 

4) ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or 

5) threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

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