Keep Confidential Information
Safe During Tax Season
Identity Thieves will be out in full force this tax season, counting on individuals that are distracted from protecting their confidential financial information. While online filing or e-filing continues to grow in popularity and hard copy returns become a thing of the past, Americans still send and receive a large amount of sensitive information on paper documents, such as W-2 forms, old pay stubs and investment information, which can leave them vulnerable to identity thieves. It is essential to properly store and destroy these paper documents after use.
Shredding is one of the easiest ways to get rid of confidential information you no longer need and is a vital step toward protecting your identity during tax season. In addition to shredding, below are several helpful tips consumers should consider this tax season to ensure their confidential information is protected.
- Regularly check the mailbox for W-2 forms and other documents containing sensitive information that arrives by mail.
- Choose a tax filing service you are familiar with. The IRS doesn’t offer software or direct filing, but it does provide a list of approved companies at www.irs.gov/efile
- Make sure personal computers are protected with updated firewall and secure software systems, which contain antivirus and anti-spyware programs
- If you are storing important tax-related documents on your computer, change your passwords frequently between December and April
- Send completed tax returns from a locked mailbox or the post office. If mailing from home, do not put the mailbox flag up. This only alerts identity thieves that there may be an outgoing check in the mail.
- Make sure tax forms, backup documents and enclosed checks are not visible from the outside. Try wrapping your forms in an extra sheet of paper to disguise the contents of the envelope.
- Shred any backup documents once you’ve filed your taxes online.
We also suggest you sign up for our Fraud Prevention e-LERT. Our Fraud Prevention e-LERT will immediately advise you when we have added a new article or warning to the ‘Fraud Alert' section of our website.
|
Your Lifetime Financial Partner |