So, your taxes should now be filed and you are waiting to hear that the IRS has accepted your return or you are waiting for your refund. What do you do when you get a letter from the IRS about unreported income or your tax return is rejected.  Or maybe, your refund doesn’t arrive as expected. Refund fraud is again a hot topic this tax season.  The Internal Revenue Service even had to halt its own online service in place to help protect tax filers who were fraud victims in earlier years because hackers figured out a way to break into that system and re-victimize some of the same taxpayers.

Here is what you need to do if you run into tax ID fraud:

1. The IRS has a Form 14039, called Identity Theft Affidavit, if your e-filed federal tax return is rejected because someone already filed using your ID.
2. You fill out that form and then attach the form to your return and mail it or fax it to the IRS. You will need to include copies of documents to prove your identity, such as a passport, driver’s license or Social Security card.
3. If you’ve contacted the IRS and did not have a resolution, you can call the IRS for assistance at 800-908-4490 from the identity theft toll free line. Get Publication 4535, Identity Theft Prevention and Victim Assistance.
4. Contact one of the credit bureaus to put a fraud alert on your credit records. Experian’s fraud center is at www.Experian.com or 888-397-3742.Transunion’s Fraud Alert is atwww.TransUnion.com or 800-680-7289. Or obtain an Equifax Fraud alert at www.Equifax.comor 888-766-0008.
5. Report ID theft with the Federal Trade Commission identity theft hotline at 877-438-4338 or file the complaint online at www.IdentityTheft.gov.