—Don't give personal information over the phone, through the mail or online unless you have initiated the contact or you are sure you know who you are dealing with.
IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE A VICTIM
—If you receive a notice from the IRS and you suspect your identity has been used fraudulently, respond immediately by calling the number on the notice.
—If you did not receive an IRS notice but believe you've been a victim, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490, extension 245.
—Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.consumer.ftc.gov or the FTC Identity Theft hotline at 877-438-4338.
—File a report with the local police.
—Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax - http://www.equifax.com, 800-525-6285; Experian - http://www.experian.com, 888-397-3742; TransUnion - http://www.transunion.com, 800-680-7289.
—Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
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