April 13, 2007

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  NEWS: Tax Deadline Ramps Up Security Concerns

  National news outlets are abuzz with the furor over Tuesday's federal income tax filing deadline. The date for this dreaded event is usually April 15, but was pushed back this year due to that date falling on a Sunday, and April 16 being a state holiday in the District of Columbia. These final hours are a stressful time for tax preparation experts and procrastinators alike – and the typical harried behavior characteristic of those last-minute holdouts is exactly why officials are concerned about their increased risk of vulnerability to identity theft.
  
  Taxpayers are being reminded not to be lax in their guarding of private documents, including tax forms and copied pay stubs. Completed tax returns are especially sensitive, as they essentially contain the total payload for would-be identity thieves: name, address, date of birth, and social security number. But the threat is present in more than just one form - the IRS is warning taxpayers to protect themselves from phishing e-mails that purport to be from the IRS and seek personal information, such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers. If you get any such e-mail, pass it along it to the IRS at phishingirs.gov.
  
   
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