If you’ve procrastinated on filing your tax return, you’ll need to get moving, as Tax Day is right around the corner. Throughout tax season, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued multiple warnings to help you ensure your taxes are filed correctly and avoid fines and penalties. Now, the IRS has sent out another last-minute warning you’ll want to be sure to heed. Read on to learn about the important step you must take to protect yourself and your tax return this year.
RELATED: The IRS Just Gave This Urgent Last-Minute Warning to Taxpayers.
Fraudsters are commonplace in the online world, and it seems as if we’re hearing about a new scam every week. Unfortunately, your taxes are also vulnerable to these cons. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone finds your Social Security number (SSN) and uses it to file a tax return and claim a fraudulent refund. To protect yourself from this, the IRS recommends setting up an Identity Protection (IP) Pin.
As the agency explains in its April 11 news release, the six-digit IP Pin is assigned to you individually, known only by you, and used when you file either an electronic or paper return. The IP Pin helps protect and prevent misuse of your SSN, as well as your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), which thieves obtain and use to claim a fraudulent tax refund in your name. The IRS especially recommends extra security…
