ID Theft and Tax Fraud in Wilkes

It has already happened here in Wilkes.  ID theft involving income tax returns being filed using another person's name and information.  A victim in Moravian Falls called the Wilkes Sheriff's Office and reported that she attempted to file her income taxes, but she found that someone had already filed using her name.  Also, a victim from Hays called the Sheriff's Department when they learned that someone had used their child's ID information to file a false tax return.  According to the IRS, Identity theft often starts outside of the tax administration system when someone's personal information is stolen or lost. Identity thieves may then use a taxpayer's identity to fraudulently file a tax return and claim a refund. The legitimate taxpayer may be unaware that anything has happened until they file their return later in the filing season and discover two returns have been filed using the same Social Security number. Your identity may have been stolen if a letter from the IRS indicates more than one tax return was filed for you or the letter states you received wages from an employer you don't know.  If you receive such a letter, contact the IRS to determine if the letter is a legitimate and contact local law enforcement about the ID theft.  For more information on tax fraud and how to protect yourself, go to the official website:  www.irs.gov