The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) is urging residents in Door and Kewaunee counties to take extra precautions against identity theft as tax season gets underway.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the DOR are highlighting Identity Theft Awareness Week with reminders that personal information is especially vulnerable between January and April, when scammers often attempt to file fraudulent tax returns using stolen Social Security numbers.

Tax-related identity theft usually goes unnoticed until the victim is alerted by the IRS about unreported income or multiple tax filings and errors. While no one can eliminate the risk entirely, several steps can significantly reduce your exposure.

Door County Treasurer Ryan Schley says “A general rule of thumb is to never give your sensitive information to anyone contacting you that you do not know.” Schley encourages you to safeguard sensitive information by verifying all correspondence with tax-related or personal information exchanges. “If you’re expecting someone to be reaching out to you, make sure they are actually the person or organization you’re supposed to be dealing with.”  Schley added. 

He also recommends avoiding storage of Social Security numbers or financial documents on phones or computers unless absolutely necessary and old documents containing personal details should be destroyed.

Schley also says you can also place a free security freeze on credit reports with multiple credit score online resources available to prevent new accounts from being opened. Fraud alerts are another option, requiring extra steps to verify identity.

Taxpayers can also sign up for Identity Protection PINs through both the IRS and the DOR to add an extra layer of protection when filing returns.