• Do not respond to emails or phone calls from individuals or companies pretending to be the IRS especially if they exhibit threatening tones. The IRS does not call or email. They send letters that can be verified.
• Never open a link or any attachment from a suspicious or even unfamiliar email.
• Continue to review your credit reports to detect any suspicious activity as early as possible.
• If possible, file early. The later you file, the greater window of time scammers have.
• File taxes electronically with direct deposit.
• Keep tax paperwork in a safe, locked location. Shred papers you no longer need.
• Be selective about who works on your taxes. If you need a safe referral or help investigating, let us know.
• Make sure you have updated firewall, antivirus and spyware software to protect your computer from invasion.
• Steer clear of public wi-fi.
• Retrieve your snail mail every day and do not leave outgoing mail in your mailbox unattended.