Pass It On | How to Avoid Tax Scams

7 tips for preventing identity theft during tax filing season

* When you do file, make sure you are using a secure connection on a private computer. “You wouldn’t want to file your tax return from an Internet café” says Stephens. Before filing, update your computer’s security software, and make sure the operating system has all the current patches. (For more advice, see “E-Filing Tax Returns? 10 Security Tips.”)

* If you opt to file through the mail, don’t just leave the return in your home mailbox, where it could be stolen. Stephens even goes so far as to recommend mailing it from inside the Post Office. “I don’t even recommend using letter carrier boxes unless you can do it just before a scheduled pick up,” he says, noting that on rare occasions, thieves have actually stolen entire mailboxes from right in front of the post office.

* Have your return check directly deposited into your account. Just as there is a risk of mail theft related to W-2s, there is a risk of theft associated with return checks. “We sometimes get so focused on online risks that people overlook the threats that exist in the real world,” Wallace says. “There is no question that [having your refund direct deposited] is safer and faster than waiting for a check in the mail.”

Staff Writer Katherine Walsh can be reached at kwalsh@cxo.com.

Learn more:
“E-Filing Tax Returns? 10 Security Tips”

“Opinion: It’s April 15. Do You Know Where Your Tax Return Information Is?”