Revenue Dept. offers new ID theft reporting tools
Amid a growing number of reports of federal tax returns being filed by identity thieves, the Department of Revenue has established new ID theft reporting options for Oregonians.
“ID theft and tax fraud can go hand-in-hand,” said JoAnn Martin, Personal Tax and Compliance Division Administrator at Revenue. “We want it to be as easy as possible for potential victims to protect their tax accounts.”
Revenue’s website now features a webform for reporting ID theft quickly and easily. The ID theft page includes links to information about filing reports with other important entities like the IRS and credit reporting agencies. Taxpayers without Internet access can call 503-947-2000 , a phone line dedicated to receiving ID theft reports.
As the April 15 deadline for filing personal income tax returns approaches, Revenue officials anticipate additional reports of identity theft.
Several recent reports have been triggered when an Oregonian tries to file their federal tax return and it’s rejected by the IRS because a return was previously filed using their Social Security number.
Revenue’s best advice?
“File as soon as you can, and if you suspect you’ve been a victim of identity theft, notify us immediately,” Martin said.
Visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, or call 1-800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish); 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon; or email, questions.dor@oregon.gov . For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), call 1-800-886-7204 . Due to the number of calls Revenue receives during tax season, you may experience extended waiting times.
