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Three Myths That Can Help Make You a Victim of Identity Fraud

Especially during tax season, your identity can be stolen. Here are three ways to protect yourself from the most committed crime-identity theft. The myths and tips are presented by Todd Feinman, identity theft prevention expert and CEO of Identity Finder (www.identityfinder.com) software.

Myth #1: Documents, PDFs and personal information used in the creation of your tax returns are safe just sitting on your computer.

Truth:  Hackers may access your computer in various ways at any time via viruses, Trojans and Botnets. Confidential information on PDFs is not safe either.

  • Password-protect all tax returns that you print to PDF from your tax software so that Social Security Numbers are secure.
  • Permanently shred unsecured documents on your computer that contain personal information used to prepare your tax return.
  • Install the latest updates to your operating system to prevent known Windows or Mac vulnerabilities from being exploited by hackers.

Myth #2: It's safe to electronically transmit confidential data to an accountant, employer, or the IRS.

Truth: Your personal information is at the greatest risk when it is en route from one location to another. Hackers and thieves have the ability to eavesdrop or spy on it when it is unprotected. Therefore, you need to encrypt supporting tax documents and create strong passwords when registering to download tax documents.
 
Myth #3: Paper copies of your important tax documentation are always safe, since they are in your control and are not accessible to electronic hackers.

Truth: Identity thieves are incredibly creative and will attempt to access your confidential information for their own personal gain however and wherever possible, especially when you least expect it.

  • When you postal mail your tax return to the IRS, send it from a secured location and for added security use certified mail.
  • Using a traditional paper shredder, make sure to destroy all printed documents.
  • Employ a multi-step approach in the prevention of identity theft that includes awareness, changes in behavior, and security tools. Doing so will secure your personal information this tax season and allow you to rest easier on April 16th and after. Most importantly, monitor your credit report regularly.

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