To avoid Tax scam

If you get an E-mail from the IRS asking you to visit a website with your tax return, please just ignore it. It's a scam. According to computer security company McAfee: reports of this kind of phishing fraud have popped up all over the country in recent weeks. The company reports about a month ago says, a series of fake emails and websites were created and they're now used to scam people into sharing personal information online. Consumers who use the IRS's online payment system appear to be most at risk.

According to Sandy Botkin, tax expert, He often receives phone calls, E-mails, or letters that appear to be official and inform them that the IRS owes them a refund. In turn to get it, the taxpayer needs to provide his Social Security number, mother's maiden name, and other personal information.

Taxpayers should always be wary when approached by anyone claiming to represent the IRS. They should never share information on a website that they are directed to by an E-mail message.

OptOutPrescreen.com is a website set up by the credit reporting industry to let you opt-out of firm offers of credit. You will not receive unsolicited offers of credit, such as new credit cards, and you'll reduce one of the most common ways your identity could be stolen through your mailbox. It stops "unsolicited" offers. To do this, call your credit card company and ask to opt out of their internal marketing campaigns.

Remember to review your credit reports annually. If you are the victim of identity theft, you want to detect and bait it as early as possible so you can limit the damage. By reviewing your reports every year, you can catch suspicious accounts easily. It's also a good idea to review your reports for honest errors as well. Fixing them can take several weeks, so you want to fix them as they appear.