What to Do If Your 2015 Tax Refund Is Stolen
ABC News' Fixer Stephanie Zimmerman helps you through the red-tape nightmare.
— -- You may be feeling great that you've filed your taxes before the April 15 deadline, but make sure you're not among the victims whose tax refunds will be stolen.
Among the 149 million or so individual income tax returns filed last year, there were 110,000 victims who complained about stolen refunds, according to the FTC. That's 24 times more than in 2013. If it happens to you, here's what you should do to get your money back.
Thieves can potentially steal your tax refund with your Social Security number and other personal information. If you discover you're a victim of a stolen refund after you've filed your taxes, you should notify the IRS and file a police report. Then you're going to be asked to file an affidavit of fraud.
People who file their taxes later may be opening themselves up to potential fraud. To help prevent being a victim of this scam, keep your personal information, including your Social Security number and data secure.