 TITLE: How to Fight Tax Identity Theft CONTENT: The best defense against tax identity theft is to familiarize yourself with IRS communications methods and have the confidence to double-check even the most official-seeming communications anytime you're asked to provide payment or disclose account numbers or your Social Security number.\nIf in doubt, use the resources listed above to verify whether or not the correspondence you've received is really from the IRS. Recognize that scams are prevalent, train yourself to look and listen for the signs of fraud, and trust your instincts. If you're suspicious about any communications, check into it—and never give out your Social Security numbers, passwords or PINs.\nA free credit freeze is an additional layer of protection that can help limit the damage to your credit in case a criminal gets hold of your personal information. It prevents access to your credit report at all three national credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). A security freeze must be initiated at each bureau separately. Doing so will make it impossible for criminals to apply for loans or credit in your name. END