Stay Safe This Tax Season!
Tax time is prime time for identity thieves to be on the prowl online. Keep yourself safe during tax time with the following tips:
- Choose to print your W2 from a secure website instead of receiving it in the mail.
- Do not email your W2 to your personal email address, your spouse, your tax preparer, or anyone for that matter.
- Use certified mail if you physically mail your tax documents in.
- If you use a tax preparer or accountant to do your taxes, choose carefully and inquire how they store and protect your private information.
- If you file your returns electronically, do not use a public computer or a free wifi hotspot to do so.
Have You Ever Installed “Free” Software?
It may be tempting to download and install software that you can get free on the Internet, but these applications may come with unexpected consequences such as:
- May be infected by viruses or spyware that are intended to damage your PC or steal confidential information.
- May reduce the security of the PC by allowing hidden downloads from the internet.
- May negatively impact your PC’s performance.
- May cause other programs to stop working.
- May cause unwanted pop-up ads or unwanted toolbars.
If you’re wanting to install software on your PC and you’re unsure if it is safe to do so, please contact the Technical Support Center at 970-351-HELP for assistance.
Did You Know?
- 1 in every 10 U.S. consumers has already been victimized by identity theft (Javelin Strategy and Research, 2009).
- It can take up to 5,840 hours (the equivalent of working a full-time job for two years) to correct the damage from ID theft, depending on the severity of the case (ITRC Aftermath Study, 2004).
- On average, victims lose between $851 and $1,378 out-of-pocket trying to resolve identity theft (ITRC Aftermath Study, 2004).
- 70% of victims have difficulty removing negative information that resulted from identity theft from their credit reports (ITRC Aftermath Study, 2004).