WVXU Stories

With April 15 Looming, Protect Yourself From Tax Fraud And Identity Theft

91.7 WVXU | By Mark Heyne

Published March 9, 2016 at 6:30 AM EST

Tax filers have to be guard themselves against identity theft and tax fraud schemes, which are steadily on the rise.

There was a time when the main concern of taxpayers was to make sure their tax forms were properly completed, their information was documented and their returns were in the mail by April 15. But today, tax filers must also worry about identity theft. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2014, tax fraud was the number one consumer complaint in how an identity theft victim's information was misused.

Here to share tips on how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of tax fraud, and what to do if you suspect you may already be a victim, are Internal Revenue Service Spokesperson for Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, Jennifer Jenkins;Bramel& Ackley, P.S.C. Certified Public Accountant, Stephanie Huhn; and Cincinnati Better Business Bureau Public Relations Specialist Sandra Guile.

For more information on how to protect yourself from ID theft, visit theFTC's site on identity theft or the IRS Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft. For state tax information, visit the Ohio Department of Taxation, the Kentucky Department of Revenue or the Indiana Department of Revenue.