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TMCNet:  ID thieves targeting tax refunds

[February 22, 2013]

ID thieves targeting tax refunds

Feb 22, 2013 (The Lebanon Reporter - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Indiana consumers filing their taxes this year should take precautions to protect themselves from identity thieves who can steal their information and file a tax return in their name.

Last year, the Indiana Attorney General's Office received nearly 70 complaints regarding tax-refund fraud. In most cases, thieves used a legitimate taxpayer's personal information to file a tax return and the victim was unaware until they were notified by the IRS.

In a press release, Attorney General Greg Zoeller said there are steps consumers can take to help protect themselves by visiting www.indianaconsumer.com.

The site includes a link to an identity theft prevention toolkit, with information on preventing and recovering from identity theft.

If you receive an unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS that contains a request for personal information, do not respond. The IRS does not use email or any other social media to request personal or financial information.

In October, the I RS issued a warning about a tax scam using a website that was almost identical to the agency's e-Services for tax preparers. That site is not for the general public, the I RS said in on its "problem alerts" site.

Other scams have solicited donations to fake charities, claims offering a college tuition credit and The I RS asks that unsolicited email or suspicious websites be reported to phishing@irs.gov.

Do not reply to unsolicited emails, open any attachments, or click on any l i nks; attachments and links c an launch malicious software that or open any attachments in, an unsolicited email.

Persons who believe their identity has been stolen and is being used for tax purposes should contact the I RS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at www.IRS.gov/ identitytheft or call 1-800-9084490.

___ (c)2013 The Lebanon Reporter (Lebanon, Ind.) Visit The Lebanon Reporter (Lebanon, Ind.) at www.reporter.net Distributed by MCT Information Services

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