By Rosario Méndez, Attorney,

Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC

It’s tax season, and you know what that means: identity thieves who want to steal your tax refund are at work. Find out how to stop them during Tax Identity Theft Awareness Week, Jan. 25-29.

The FTC and its partners are hosting a series of events to help you understand tax identity theft, how to minimize your risk of becoming a victim, and what to do if thieves have stolen your tax refund.  Check these out:

• Jan. 26, 1 p.m. – an FTC webinar for consumers, co-hosted AARP’s Fraud Watch Network and Tax Aide Program. Learn how tax identity theft happens and what you can do if it happens to you.

• Jan. 27, 10 a.m. – the FTC and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will host a Twitter chat with information about tax identity theft for veterans. Join the conversation at #VeteranIDTheft.

• Jan. 27, 1 p.m. – the FTC, TIGTA and the VA will host a webinar with information about tax identity theft for veterans.

• Jan. 28, noon – the FTC and the IRS will co-host a webinar with information to help victims of tax identity theft.

• Jan. 29, 1 p.m. – the FTC and the Identity Theft Resource Center will co-host a Twitter chat about tax ID theft. Join the conversation at #IDTheftChat.

(All times are Central Standard Time) 

Help promote awareness about tax identity theft. We have free resources to share in your community. Want to know more about identity theft in general? Visit www.IdentityTheft.gov, the government’s one-stop resource to help identity theft victims recover.