A relaxed and tanned Sally (a social worker) and her husband Jack (who works in a call centre) have just returned back from a fabulous two-week, all inclusive holiday in the Maldives.  How were they able to afford this?  A tax refund…belonging to someone else.

Identity Theft is a fast-growing crime, globally, and a challenging priority for the IRS in particular.  What is it?  When your social security number is used, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. Often this is not discovered until you actually file your own tax return at which point it is flagged by the IRS as having been done already. The IRS has listed some simple steps you can take to protect your identity. If you think you may be the victim of identity theft, there is a number to call in the Guide.