Written by Dakota Trump, Tax Associate
On June 1st, Senior Accountant Jake Shockley and Client Service Manager Catherine Kruse presented on the IRS homepage and why it might be time to embrace the options that the IRS offers. While many taxpayers feel very strongly against being on their radar, the new technology that “The Service” offers is definitely an advantage in the long run. Don’t miss their next webinars on August 3rd and September 7th on submitting a power of attorney through the IRS site and making an estimated tax payment!
No matter how cautious one may be, there is always a chance that your identity can be compromised. When this happens, the question is what’s next? Do you know what you need to do if your identity has been compromised? While we hope this never happens to you, today’s blog will answer that very question.
The identity thief will likely try to quickly apply for credit, file taxes, or get medical services under your information. When you first become aware that you are a victim of identity theft, it is important to do the following as quick as possible:
- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission
- File a claim with your identity theft insurance (if applicable)
- Notify companies of your stolen identity
- Freeze your credit
- Sign up for credit monitoring services
- Monitor and review your accounts frequently
- Scan credit card and bank statements for unauthorized charges
Identity theft can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) either online at identitytheft.gov or by phone at 877-438-4338. The FTC will provide a report to help you prove to business that your identity has been stolen.
If you receive a letter from the IRS indicating your identity has been used to file a fraudulent tax return or if you suspect such has occurred, immediately contact the IRS. The unit to contact is the Identity Protection Specialization Unit at 800-908-4490. They will take action to ensure your tax account and SSN are secured. You will want to be sure to receive an IRS IP PIN for that tax year and the following tax years.
If you have any additional questions as a result of this post, or if your identity becomes compromised and you would like to discuss these steps with Hauk Kruse, please feel free to reach out at 314-993-4285 or e-mail office@Hkaglobal.com.
