TAX RELATED IDENTITY THEFT - English
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April 2021
TAX RELATED
IDENTITY THEFT
This time of year, there is an increase in the discovery of tax identity theft.
Tax identity theft occurs when an individual’s Social Security number
(SSN) is stolen to file a tax return and claim a fraudulent refund. Scammers
who engage in tax-related identity theft are equal opportunity fraudsters.
Anyone with a SSN is vulnerable, even children’s information can be used
to falsely claim them as dependents and get a fraudulent tax reduction.
Identity theft doesn’t just occur during tax season. It is a continuous problem, with many of its victims
unaware that their identity has been stolen until they are denied credit, sent a bill for purchases they did
not make, or receive collection calls for debt they didn’t incur. The FTC received about 1.4 million reports
of identity theft in 2020, double the number from 2019.
What can you do to protect yourself from identity thieves?
• Safeguard your information. Shred financial documents and paperwork, protect your
SSN, never click on links sent in unsolicited emails, and keep your personal information
in a safe place.
• Watch for suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial account and billing
statements for any questionable transactions.
• Order a free credit report from each of the major credit reporting agencies (Equifax,
Experian, TransUnion) at AnnualCreditReport.com.
What are the warning signs that your identity has been stolen?
• You are notified by the Internal Revenue Service that more than one tax return using your SSN has been filed within one
year.
• You owe additional tax, refund offset, or had collection actions taken against you for a year you did not file a tax return.
• You receive collection calls or bills for products you or your family did not receive.
• You are denied credit.
• You or a member of your family is denied government benefits because the benefits are being paid to another account
using your or your family member’s SSN.
What should you do if your identity has been stolen?
• Respond against identity theft as soon as a problem is suspected.
• Place a fraud alert on your credit reports (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).
• Close any accounts that have been compromised or opened fraudulently.
• File a police report.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov.
• Keep detailed records of every step you take to report and fight the identity theft.
• Respond immediately to any IRS notice. Call your local IRS office to verify any telephone numbers provided in written
notices or, if instructed, go to IDVerify.irs.gov.
• Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, if your e-filed return is rejected because of a duplicate filing under
your SSN or you are instructed to do so.
• Continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must do so by paper.
• If you previously contacted the IRS and did not have a resolution, call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at
1-800-908-4490.
Consumers who believe fraud has taken place can contact the FDACS Consumer Assistance Center by
calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832). Consumer
assistance representatives are available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, EST.
FREE WEEKLY
CREDIT REPORTS
Routinely monitoring your credit report is one important tool to help protect your personally identifiable
information (PIP) and manage your financial data. Your credit report has information about your credit history
and payment history — information that lenders, creditors, and other businesses use when giving you loans
or credit. If a scammer gets your PIP, your credit report will also reveal credit activity that you may not have
authorized.
Consumers are usually advised to request a free annual credit
report. Last year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
three national credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian, and
Transunion – gave people weekly access to monitor their credit
report for free. The free weekly access was scheduled to expire
at the end of April 2021. However, the credit reporting agencies
recently announced that they are extending this benefit until April
20, 2022. To get your free reports, go to AnnualCreditReport.
com.
If you are one of the many Americans struggling to pay your bills right now because of the Coronavirus crisis,
here is what you can do:
• Contact the companies you owe money to. Ask if they can postpone your payment, put you on a payment plan, or give
you a temporary forbearance.
• Check your credit report regularly to make sure it’s correct — especially any new payment arrangements or temporary
forbearance. The CARES Act generally requires your creditors to report these accounts as current.
• Fix any errors or mistakes that you spot on your credit report. Notify the credit
reporting agencies directly. You can find out more by reading Disputing Errors on
Credit Reports.
Visit Financial Impact of the Coronavirus for more advice and tips.
FAKE UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS WEBSITES
by Seena Gressin, Attorney, Division of Consumer & Business Education, FTC
At a time when many people left jobless by the pandemic are struggling to get by, scammers reportedly are using
websites that mimic government unemployment insurance (UI) benefits websites. These sites trick people into
thinking they’re applying for UI benefits, and they wind up giving the scammers their personal information.
The Department of Justice’s National Unemployment
Insurance Fraud Task Force reports that scammers
lure people to their fake websites by sending spam text
messages and emails. These messages look like they’re
from a state workforce agency (SWA) and give people
links to these fake sites. When people enter their
sensitive personal information on the fake sites, the
scammers can use the information for identity theft.
A report to the FTC even said one of the fake sites
told people to click the link if they did not file for UI
benefits.
Here’s what you need to know: An SWA will not contact you out of the blue. SWAs will not send a text message or
email inviting you to apply for UI benefits. If you get an unsolicited text or email message that looks like it’s from
an SWA, know the steps to take to protect yourself:
• Never click links in an unexpected text message or email claiming to be from an SWA.
• If you have applied for UI benefits and get a text or email about your application, contact your SWA directly using
contact information from its official website. (For Floridians, that information can be found at the Florida Department
of Economic Opportunity website.)
• If you need to apply for UI benefits, use this link to find your state’s UI application page. Follow the directions you find
there.
• If you gave someone your sensitive information, visit IdentityTheft.gov/unemploymentinsurance to learn how to protect
your credit from scammers or, if necessary, report that someone has misused your personal information to claim UI
benefits.
If you get a suspicious text message or email message claiming to be from an SWA, please report it to the National
Center for Disaster Fraud by visiting justice.gov/disaster-fraud or by calling 866-720-5721. You also can report it to
the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. And please, tell the people you know about this scam. By sharing the information,
you can help defeat the scammers.
INDOOR TV
ANTENNA SCAMS
by Rosario Méndez, Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC
Any TV set made since 2007 has a digital tuner that lets you watch over-the-air (OTA) channels for free, if you get
an inexpensive indoor antenna. These channels usually include local broadcast channels, including high-definition
or “HDTV” signals. But an OTA antenna won’t get you free “premium” channels, which you can only get from
cable, satellite, or online content services. Don’t believe an OTA antenna ad that says it can.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced that it sued a
company for allegedly lying about the performance of its indoor antennas
and signal amplifiers. The company sold products under the TV Scout,
SkyWire, SkyLink, and Tilt TV brand names. Its antenna ads claimed
that people could stop paying for cable or satellite TV and still get all of
their favorite TV channels, including premium channels. That was simply
not true, the FTC says. The company’s ads for amplifiers—in English and
Spanish—claimed that people could use those with its antennas to get even
more stations, including premium or subscription channels, like HBO and
AMC, for free. The FTC says that these ads were also false. The FTC also
said that some of the ads were made to look like “news reports,” and some
of the consumer endorsements were made up.
Before you cut the cord and buy an OTA antenna and related products,
remember:
• Read the Federal Communication Commission’s tips about TV antennas
and getting good reception.
• Only trust news reports about a product when they come from a credible
news source and be sure to check multiple sources. You can do an online
search using the name of the product and the word “scam” or “fraud” to see
if other consumers have reported problems.
• When you look at an online endorsement or review, think about where it’s
posted and what you know about who wrote it. Some endorsements and
reviews are fake or misleading. It can be hard to tell them apart from the real
ones, so it’s better to check several sources. And expert reviews from trusted
websites are a good way to go.
If you have a problem with a business, you can file a complaint at
FloridaConsumerHelp.com and report fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.
ftc.gov.
MOSQUITO
AWARENESS WEEK
Mosquito Awareness Week is April 18-24, 2021. More than any other animal on Earth, mosquitoes have the
greatest impact on public health. This article provides information on mosquitoes, the deadly diseases they
transmit, how they are controlled and what you can do to protect yourself.
There are over 80 species of mosquitoes found in Florida, of which nearly a quarter are public health threats due
to the pathogens they transmit. This includes endemic viruses like West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern equine
encephalitis (EEE), and exotic viruses like Zika, dengue and chikungunya. Further, mosquitoes impact livestock
and pets by transmitting WNV, EEE and heartworm.
Florida has over 60 state-approved mosquito control programs that conduct mosquito surveillance and mitigation
across the state. In addition to playing a key role in protecting humans, pets and livestock, these programs
support the economy by controlling pests that could negatively impact tourism. Today, millions of people can
enjoy Florida’s beaches and parks thanks to their efforts. Visit the Florida Mosquito Control Directory Map to find
out more about your local mosquito control program.
Mosquito prevention and control are a community effort. Everyone can
play their part by removing mosquito habitats. This is primarily done
by removing water from and cleaning objects around the home like:
toys, buckets, bird baths, gutters, tires, tarps, vases, animal troughs and
pools. For larger objects and permanent water sources, contact your local
mosquito control program for guidance and treatment options. Some
mosquito control programs provide their citizens with native fish called
Gambusia that feed on mosquito larvae.
It is also important to protect yourself from mosquitoes when outdoors. Remember to wear proper attire,
including a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, and to apply insect repellent registered with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA). For more information on insect repellents, visit the EPA website. For additional
mosquito information, resources and to contact us visit Mosquitoes: General Information at FDACS.gov.
FILING A CONSUMER
COMPLAINT
Florida consumers who have an issue with a business have the option of filing a complaint with FDACS. The Bureau
of Mediation and Enforcement is responsible for processing consumer complaints, unless they are specifically
regulated by another agency, and providing informal mediation services with the goal of reaching an amicable
resolution between consumers and businesses.
What should consumers know about the complaint process?
1. All complaints are public record.
2. Complaints are entered into a database and assigned to a complaint analyst within three days of receipt. The complaint
analyst will review for potential statutory violations. Statutory violations are referred to the Regulatory Investigative
Section.
3. Complaints are addressed within 20 days (90% within 10 days).
4. A business has 30 days from notification to respond in writing regarding informal mediation efforts.
5. Complaints filed against a business regulated by another agency will be referred to the regulating agency for processing.
6. Consumers have direct contact with department complaint analysts throughout the process.
Florida consumers are encouraged to visit the department’s File a Complaint page at FloridaConsumerHelp.com
for more information.
Here’s what consumers had to say… “I received a full refund today and I can’t thank you enough for all the work you did on my behalf in getting it for me! I know it’s a small monetary amount in the scheme of things but being on a fixed salary it means so much and while I also know you must have so many important matters that must be pressing on your time, well again I just want you to know how much I appreciate your effort in securing this for me!” S. Wolf “I thank you for all you did. I am very impressed with FL and their services to the citizens of FL. I again thank you.” L. Ebersole “Thank you for your assistance in this matter. Even though I did not get all I thought I was owed, I got more than I thought I would. And, this was due to your efforts on my behalf.” D. Hall “They did finally issue a refund after numerous calls, emails, and complaints through various channels. I appreciate your department’s assistance in getting this resolved!” A. Anderson “Please be aware that my money was credited back to my credit card after you got involved. Your leverage made the difference.” J. Klein
ABOUT THE FDACS DIVISION OF
CONSUMER SERVICES
FDACS is Florida’s state consumer protection agency responsible for regulating charities and
handling consumer complaints. FDACS handles more than 400,000 consumer complaints and
inquiries, oversees more than 500,000 regulated devices, entities, and products like gas pumps
and grocery scales, performs over 61,000 lab analyses on products like gasoline and brake flu-
id, performs nearly 9,000 fair ride inspections, and returned over $2.8 million to consumers
through mediations with businesses.
The Division of Food Safety monitors food from the point The Consumer Product Safety Commission provides
of manufacturing and distribution through wholesale and consumer product recall information as part of the
retail sales to ensure the public of safe, wholesome and agency’s mission to protect consumers and families from
properly represented food products. hazardous products.
CLICK THE ICON ABOVE TO SEE THE LATEST RECALLS, CLICK THE ICON ABOVE TO SEE THE LATEST RECALLS,
MARKET WITHDRAWALS, & SAFETY ALERTS. MARKET WITHDRAWALS, & SAFETY ALERTS.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the state’s clearinghouse for consumer complaints,
protection and information. Consumers who would like information about filing a complaint against a business or
who believe fraud has taken place can visit us online at FloridaConsumerHelp.com or contact the department’s
consumer protection and information hotline by calling 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832)
for Spanish speakers.
Follow us on Twitter - @FDACS and @NikkiFriedFL FDACS-P-00030 Rev. 4/2021
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