BOISE, Idaho — Keep a close eye on your mailbox this tax season, in case you need to prove your identity.
Thieves have multiple ways to steal your identity, file fake tax returns in your name, and claim your hard-earned refund.
To combat the fraud, the Idaho State Tax Commission sends out tax identity verification mail to make sure you are who you say you are.
"Fraudsters have found a way to steal your identity and file a fake tax return in your name, trying to claim a refund from the state," said Renee Eymann.
Senior Public Information Officer Renee Eymann says thieves use a number of schemes to get your tax information, one way being hacking into business databases.
Eymann said, “A lot of times, it happens because somebody has hacked a company or a business database and stolen information, including Social Security numbers, addresses, and things like that, which identify you on a tax return,” Eymann said.
If you get this letter in the mail, it’ll ask you a simple question:
“Did you file the return, or did you not file the return?”
In addition to the question, the letter might ask you to take an identity quiz on the commission’s website.
“We might actually ask you to provide identity documents, like a copy of your driver’s license, passport, or a utility bill,” Eymann said.
Last year, the commission stopped nearly $2 million in refunds from going to thieves.
If you’re sent a tax identity verification letter, the commission won’t issue your tax refund until you prove your identity.
These letters are going out right now. If you receive one, the commission asks that you send it back within 30 days.
