A 75-year-old LaPortean is apparently among the victims of the recent massive identification thefts from the computer files of Anthem Health Care.
The woman told LaPorte Police that her nephew recently filed her taxes for her and the filing was rejected. The IRS advised her that someone else had already used her personal information and filed a claim listing her as a dependent.
The woman is an Anthem Health Care customer, and her information was among those stolen in a massive hacking event a month ago.
Police advise that you take these steps if you become a victim:
- File a report with local police.
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.identitytheft.gov or the FTC Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338 or TTY 1-866-653-4261.
- Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a Fraud Alert on your credit records: Equifax at www.Equifax.com or 1-800-525-6285; Experian at www.Experian.com or 1-888-397-3742; or TransUnion at www.TransUnion.com or 1-800-680-7289.
- Close any accounts opened without your permission or tampered with.
If your Social Security number is compromised and you know or suspect you are a victim of tax-related identity theft, take these additional steps:
- Respond immediately to any mailed IRS notice; call the number provided
- Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. Use a fillable form at IRS.gov, print, then mail or fax according to instructions.
- Continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must do so by paper.
If you previously contacted the IRS and did not have a resolution, contact the Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490.