DAY 3 – How Do You Protect Yourself From Identity Theft?

TREAT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION LIKE CASH, don’t leave it laying around.  By taking a few simple steps, you can reduce your risk of identity theft.

• Do not routinely carry your social security card or any type of document with your social security number.
• Keep old tax returns and tax records secured/locked away. If electronic, keep encrypted.
• Shred tax documents or any document with your personal information before throwing away in the trash (credit card bills, invoices, banking statements, medical documents, expired driver’s license, etc.).
• Avoid IRS-Impersonators. The IRS will not call you with threats of jail or lawsuits.  The IRS will not request personal information online.

Forward IRS-related scam emails to phishing@irs.gov.

Report IRS-impersonators at www.tigta.gov

• If you are publicly sharing your personal information on social media….stop! There is just some information that should not be shared with everybody.

The Do Not Share List

1. Home address
2. Places you lived
3. Birth date (M/D/Y)
4. Work place
5. Vacation plans
6. Any information about your children, a new car, a new home.

 

Sources

https://www.irs.gov/“Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft”