Don't be a Target: Protect Yourself from Tax-Related ID Theft This Tax Season

Tax season is upon us, bringing not just forms and deadlines, but also a greater risk of identity theft.

Your tax return holds a goldmine for identity thieves – your Social Security number, income details, and more – which cybercriminals can steal and use to file a fraudulent tax return, claim your refund, and leave you with delayed or denied returns and potential tax burdens.

But fear not. LifeLock by Norton makes identity theft protection easy during tax season and beyond providing a variety of services to help protect your identity, such as credit monitoring, identity theft alerts, and identity restoration.

Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Fraud This Tax Season:

Here are some tips that could significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to identity theft this tax season.

• Be cautious about sharing personal information: Never share your Social Security number, bank account information, or other sensitive data via email, phone, or text message.
• Beware of phishing scams: Tax season sees a surge in phishing scams and fake IRS calls designed to trick you into revealing personal information. Be wary of unsolicited emails, texts, or phone calls. The IRS will not initiate contact through these channels.
• Always use security software with firewall and anti-virus protections: Make sure the security software is always turned on and can automatically update. Encrypt sensitive files such as tax records you store on your computer. If you don’t have this type of protective software already, LifeLock offers device protection with Norton 360 antivirus, as well as the virtual private network feature that encrypts your online connections.
• Use secure methods for filing your taxes: Only use trusted tax software or tax preparers. File your taxes electronically through a secure website. A secure website has "HTTPS" at the beginning of the website address instead of "HTTP." The "S" stands for "secure" and means the website uses encryption to protect data being sent between your browser and the website. This is especially important for sites where you enter sensitive information like passwords or credit card details. In most browsers, you'll also see a padlock icon in the address bar next to the URL meaning that the website is secure.
• Protect your passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for all your online accounts, and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.
• Monitor your accounts: Regularly review your bank statements and credit reports for suspicious activity. Identity theft protection services like LifeLock can monitor your credit reports and other data for you, alerting you to potentially suspicious activity, and allowing you to take timely action.

Getting Started with LifeLock

While nobody can completely prevent identity theft, LifeLock provides extensive monitoring for identity, credit, and your financial accounts, including monitoring the dark web, all three credit bureaus, and even investments.

And, if your identity or personal information is compromised, LifeLock offers access to identity restoration specialists who work with you to resolve your identity theft issue from start to finish. LifeLock’s top-tier protection plan also reimburses for up to $1 million of stolen funds and personal expenses resulting from identity theft.

Start your protection, and enroll in minutes. Click here to start your free 30-day trial.*

 

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