 TITLE: Will Identity Theft Delay My Tax Refund? CONTENT: Be Proactive With Your Identity Going Forward\n---------------------------------------------\nClearly, the best way to deal with tax identity fraud is to avoid it in the first place. Study up on how to avoid tax identity theft. Three tips to consider:\n*   Limit access to your Social Security number.\n*   Only work with a trusted tax preparer.\n*   Look out for phishing scams, including callers or emailers posing as the IRS.\nNew in 2021, all taxpayers have the option of getting an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) valid for one year from the IRS to help protect their tax identities. Doing so will provide you with an added layer of security when filing your taxes. You use an IP PIN when filling out your paper or electronic tax forms. The IRS will not contact you and ask you to provide an IP PIN, either by phone or email. If you receive a call or an email solicitation that requires you to give your IP PIN, hang up or delete the email.\nRemember, too, that any criminal who has enough personal identifying information on you to file a fraudulent tax return also has enough information to open credit card accounts, file for unemployment or use your personal identifying information on a job. In addition to checking your credit reports, placing fraud alerts and activating credit freezes at all three credit bureaus, you may want to consider using identity theft protection such as Experian's IdentityWorks. IdentityWorks monitors your credit file and Social Security number and alerts you to any suspicious findings. It also enables you to lock and unlock your credit file with an easy-to-use app and offers identity theft insurance and fraud resolution assistance, so managing your identity is simpler.\nThat's important, because identity theft can complicate your life—and your taxes—in many unwelcome ways. If your identity has been stolen to file a fake tax return, your tax return will probably take longer than usual to process and your refund will likely be delayed. File your taxes as early as possible and respond promptly to any IRS communications for the best results. END