(INDIANAPOLIS) – During tax season, it is always a good idea to be extra careful about your personal information.
Filing your tax return requires you to relay sensitive information like Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, student information, etc. Combine those with information like your address or where you work and fraudsters may have everything they need to steal your identity.
Help yourself and take note of these tips to make sure no one takes advantage of you.
- Store important financial documents in a safe place – bank information, Social Security numbers, etc. should be kept in a place where others cannot access them.
- Keep your Social Security card safe – avoid routinely carrying your card in your wallet. That can raise your chances of the card getting lost or stolen.
- Don’t over share on social media – thieves look to social media for easy prey. Unassuming information like your email address, birthdate and even children’s names can be used in a scam.
- Don’t leave a paper trail – some identity thieves will go dumpster diving for information thrown out with the trash. Any paperwork with personal information on it should be ripped up or shredded.
- Use firewall or virus software – do your research and make sure you are using a reputable virus scanning software service that can detect when something is wrong.
- File and pay your taxes online – When you file electronically, your return and personal information are accessed by a computer, meaning less people are handling your information. Make sure you trust the network you’re working on.
These simple tricks can go a long way in making sure your and your family’s identities are kept safe. Keep checking in with DOR for more tips on identity protection and to see if you qualify to file for free through INFreeFile.
