Did you get a Form 1099-G recently from the IRS reporting jobless benefits you did not receive? Waste no time contacting your state unemployment agency to get a corrected form saying you didn’t receive those benefits.
“If you’re unable to obtain a timely, corrected form, you should still file an accurate income tax return reporting only the income you received,” says Rock & Hammer CEO Henry Obadiah. “But know that a corrected Form 1099-G showing zero jobless benefits when you’re been a victim of identity theft will help you avoid being hit with an unexpected federal tax bill for unreported income down the road.”
The IRS in early January issued a new warning about an identify theft scam that involves fraudulent claims for state unemployment benefits. Tax authorities say that identity thieves are using stolen personal information to file for and receive unemployment benefits—a scam that has proliferated during the pandemic, as jobless claims have been skyrocketing.
Obadiah says you can protect yourself from federal tax return identify theft by requesting an identity protection PIN from the IRS, which is now available to all taxpayers. This IP PIN is a six-digit number the IRS issues that prevents an identify thief from filing a tax return using a taxpayers’ Social Security number. Questions? Ask us how we might help.
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