Identity Theft at Tax Time - Be Wary of Thieves

Identity Theft at Tax Time - Be Wary of Thieves

Some say this year alone, another 10 million people are expected to have their identities stolen. Are you going to be one of them? You can either pray that you will be lucky, or take steps to protect yourself and your financial information online and at home. Here are some tips to help with your choice.

At this time of year it's especially important to get protection from identity thieves, since tax time is upon us. Why does that matter? Well you probably get most of your tax documents in the mail, right? This information is so critical to protect, you must take steps to be sure nobody intercepts your tax documents. Not only do your W2 forms have your social security number, your name and address, but also where you work and how much money you made last year. Do you think that would be helpful for a thief that is thinking about robbing you blind?

Intercepting documents through the mail may seem pretty "old school", but if it works why stop doing it? Many thousands of Americans will have these documents stolen, so it's time to get a post office box to be sure you don't have yours taken. For the cost of less than $100 per year, they aren't expensive. And if you consider that the cost of fixing your finances after having your tax records stolen, and possibly your identity along with it can run into the thousands, it's a steal. Yes it's a bit inconvenient, but many times if your post office isn't close by, private companies offer the same service for about the same cost. And these places normally provide security cameras so you can be sure that no one is tampering with your mail.

While you're at it, make sure that your tax information is safe at all times by keeping the records in a binder or folder. If you have your taxes done at a private accountant, ask what their procedures are for storing your documents while in their possession. If they aren't locked up, how can you be sure they are safe? Never assume that a private company will take precautions with your information, be very sure so you don't have to wonder. If you do your taxes online, be sure that you are on a secure website that uses encryption to pass your information back and forth. Normally they will have an emblem that certifies they are encrypted, besides having the "https" in the beginning of the site name. The "s" in this address indicates a securely encrypted web server, don't ever send information without it.

Once again there are many ways that cyber-thieves and identity thieves can steal your information, both online and from your home by intercepting your mail. Don't take a chance either way, protect your identity by taking steps to be sure your information doesn't fall into the wrong hands. Monitoring your credit reports, checking your credit card balances for unusual activity, and keeping track of your mail to be sure it's not stolen are simple solutions you need to take every day.

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