The Internal Revenue Service, the states and the tax
industry urge you to be safe online and remind you to take important steps to
help protect your tax and financial information and guard against identity
theft. Treat your personal information like cash – don’t hand it out to just
anyone.
Your Social Security number, credit card numbers, and bank
and utility account numbers can be used to steal your money or open new
accounts in your name. Every time you are asked for your personal information,
think about whether you can really trust the request. In an effort to steal
your information, scammers will do everything they can to appear trustworthy.
The IRS has teamed up with state revenue departments and the
tax industry to make sure you understand the dangers to your personal and
financial data. Working in partnership
with you, we can make a difference.
Here are some best practices you can follow to protect your
tax and financial information:
Only give personal information over encrypted websites.
If you’re shopping or banking online, stick to sites that
use encryption to protect your information as it travels from your computer to
their server. To determine if a website is encrypted, look for “https” at the
beginning of the web address (the “s” is for secure). Some websites use
encryption only on the sign-in page, but if any part of your session isn’t
encrypted, the entire account and your financial information could be
vulnerable. Look for https on every page of the site you’re on, not just where
you sign in.
Protect your passwords.
The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. Use at
least 10 characters; 12 is ideal for most home users. Mix letters, numbers and
special characters. Try to be unpredictable – don’t use your name, birthdate or
common words. Don’t use the same password for many accounts. If it’s stolen
from you – or from one of the companies with which you do business – it can be
used to take over all your accounts. Don’t share passwords on the phone, in
texts or by email. Legitimate companies will not send you messages asking for
your password. If you get such a message, it’s probably a scam. Keep your
passwords in a secure place, out of plain sight.
Don’t assume ads or emails are from reputable companies.
Check out companies to find out if they are legitimate. When
you’re online, a little research can save you a lot of money and reduce your
security risk. If you see an ad or an offer that looks too good, take a moment
to check out the company behind it. Type the company or product name into your
favorite search engine with terms like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” If you
find bad reviews, you’ll have to decide if the offer is worth the risk. If you
can’t find contact information for the company, take your business and your
financial information elsewhere. The fact that a site features an ad for
another site doesn’t mean that it endorses the advertised site, or is even
familiar with it.
Don’t overshare on social media.
Do a web search of your name and review the results. Most
likely, the results will turn up your past addresses, the names of people
living in the household as well social media accounts and your photographs. All
of these items are valuable to identity thieves. Even a social media post
boasting of a new car can help thieves bypass security verification questions
that depend on financial data that only you should know. Think before you post!
Back up your files.
No system is completely secure. Copy important files and
your federal and state tax returns onto a removable disc or a back-up drive,
and store it in a safe place. If your computer is compromised, you’ll still
have access to your files.
Save your tax returns and records.
Your federal and state tax forms are important financial
documents you may need for many reasons, ranging from home mortgages to college
financial. Print out a copy and keep in a safe place. Keep an electronic copy
in a safe spot as well. These steps also can help you more easily prepare next
year’s tax return. If you store sensitive tax and financial records on your computer,
use a file encryption program to add an additional layer of security should
your computer be compromised.
To learn additional steps you can take to protect your
personal and financial data, visit "Taxes. Security. Together" at
https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Taxes-Security-Together. You also can read
Publication 4524 (https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4524.pdf), Security
Awareness for Taxpayers.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they
should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights can
be found at https://www.irs.gov/Taxpayer-Bill-of-Rights. Explore your rights
and our obligations to protect them on http://www.IRS.gov.