Fraud: Beware of Tax-Related Identity Theft

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January through April is peak season for tax-related identity and data theft.  

Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses stolen personal information, such as a Social Security number, to file a fraudulent tax return and claim a refund. Because clients may not be aware they are a victim unless the IRS notifies them of a possible issue, it’s important to beware of potential alerts, especially during tax filing season. 

Potential tax-related identity theft alerts include:

  • Receiving a letter from the IRS inquiring about a suspicious tax return that you or your client did not file.
  • Inability to e-file a tax return because of a duplicate Social Security number.
  • Receiving a tax transcript in the mail that was not requested.
  • Receiving an IRS notice that an online account has been created in your client’s name.
  • Receiving an IRS notice that an existing online account has been accessed or disabled when no action was taken.
  • Receiving an IRS notice indicating that additional tax or refund offset is owed, or that collection actions have been taken for a year in which a tax return was not filed.
  • IRS records indicate that wages or other income were received from an employer your client didn’t work for.
  • An Employer Identification Number has been assigned but was not requested.

If you suspect your client may have been a victim of tax-related identity theft, please contact the Compliance Department at AMLFraudReferral@athene.com.

For additional information go to IRS.gov or FTC.gov.

Questions or concerns?