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Expatriate Tax Returns

identity theft

Identity Theft Prevention for Taxpayers

Identity theft is a common occurrence that everyone is vulnerable to. It is crucial to prevent vulnerability when filing taxes since this process includes confidential information such as social security numbers, addresses, income, and other factors. Expatriate Tax Returns has the advice you need to stay protected. Click below in order to learn more about how to keep your information safe!

Ways to stay protected from identity theft while filing taxes include but are not limited to:

Using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and secure browser connections

Always use a secure network when processing banking or tax information. Ensure the connection is private by checking for a lock icon next to the URL of the website.

Safely Using Emails

Watch out for unexpected attachments. Refrain from opening emails with links or attachments that you did not expect to receive. Scammers could use these files as bate for phishing. In addition, keep personal and business email account information separate.

Use Devices Cautiously

We encourage keeping information separate between personal and business computers or other devices.  If a suspicious program is accidentally installed on a personal computer and compromises it, business information stored on that computer will still be safe.

Safely Download and Transfer Files

Phishers commonly use computer programs to steal sensitive information. Avoid downloading files from unknown or suspicious websites. In addition, cautiously transfer files between personal and business computers on a USB drive.

Password Management

It is crucial to managing your passwords discretely and securely. This includes using strong passwords, changing passwords frequently, storing passwords in a safe program, and not sharing passwords.

If you need more advice on avoiding identity theft or have any other questions about tax filing, visit www.expatriatetaxreturns.com to connect with our staff of experts.

Recovering from Identity Theft

Identity theft can be prevented in many ways, but if you are a victim, there are a few ways to recover your information and ease the financial burden. Once you discover that your identity has been stolen, contact your local law enforcement, freeze your credit, and place a fraud alert on all accounts. Once all necessary parties have been contacted, review your credit and debit charges for anything fraudulent and report them to your financial institutions. Work to handle your disputes as quickly as possible to recover any changes to your credit score. Next, change login information on all websites that contain your personal information. Protecting your data is essential, and identity theft is likely to occur through an internet security breach. Stay on top of your credit reports and banking information for the next few months after the theft occurs. You will want to contact the credit bureaus and banks to ensure all fraudulent charges have been removed and any new accounts will be rejected as fraud.

Tax Related Identity Theft

Identity theft occurs when a piece of your personal information is stolen and used to commit fraud. If your data is accessed, it could be used to open new accounts, make unauthorized purchases, or file taxes for a fraudulent refund. The IRS may reach out to you via mail should there be any suspicious activity related to your Social Security Number. A few other instances may lead you to believe that your identity was compromised. If you attempt to file your taxes and encounter an error that you have already made, you should contact the IRS right away.
In most cases, you will receive some mail notification from the IRS with information that you did not request. This communication is a good indication of identity theft. If it is confirmed that your identity has been compromised, no matter the cause, the IRS recommends IDentityTheft.gov to report the information and work to get your identity back. As tax professionals, if the information breach occurs on our end, we will work with you to ensure your data is retrieved and safe. To protect yourself from tax-related identity theft, ensure that you are using secure methods of communication to file your taxes. Protect your personal information at all times, do not give out your Social Security Number unless necessary.