Assistant Plymouth Police Chief Mark Owen released this press release due to the fact that a Plymouth women was contacted by the IRS and had in fact had her identity compromised.
It seems like every day we hear about a new data breach, a company being hacked, or someone’s identity being stolen. Do you know why? Because criminals make a business out of identity theft. In fact, last tax season, the Indiana Department of Revenue upped its security to battle identity theft criminals and stopped $88 million in attempted identity theft tax returns.
You might be wondering what identity theft has to do with the Indiana Department of Revenue.Criminals steal real taxpayer identities and file tax returns to request and steal the victims’ refunds. Identity theft criminals submitted 74,000 fraudulent returns the department identified and stopped during the 2014 tax season. The department helped thousands of legitimate taxpayers realize their identities had been stolen.
So how did the department spot this identity theft? Last tax season, the department used increased security features that again will be used this tax season. The department took what it learned last year about identity theft and used that information to make this year’s program stronger to protect more Hoosiers.
All Indiana income tax returns will have their basic identity data (not the entire return)submitted to an automated identity verification database.While 95 percent of taxpayers’ identity information is expected to be verified as a result of this process, some taxpayers again will be selected to take an Identity Confirmation Quiz to further confirm their identities.
Those selected will receive a letter from the Indiana Department of Revenue. The quiz contains four short questions, which only the person asked to complete the quiz would be able to answer. It is taken on a secure website hosted by the department or over the phone. It should take no more than two minutes to complete.
Through the identity protection program, the Indiana Department of Revenue is making sure Indiana tax refunds are only issued to taxpayers whose identities have been confirmed. The department thanks taxpayers for assisting the department in protecting Hoosier identities.
For more information about the identity protection program, identity protection tips, and tips for protecting your tax refund, visit the department’s Stop ID Theft website at www.in.gov/dor/4794.htm.
