Knowledge is power, so read on to take control of your identity, and make sure your tax refund ends up in your bank account where it belongs.

Thousands of people are falling victim to life-altering tax fraud each year, so the IRS has created a special section on its website to let you know what you can do to stay safe. The government agency is also putting programs in place to detect this fraud before it happens, and is working to protect people who have already fallen victim to identity theft.

Every year, thousands of scammers file fraudulent returns containing the names and social security numbers of taxpayers. The victims often don’t find out about this until they’ve submitted their own return and it’s denied.

To prevent this, the IRS has given some taxpayers a special Identity Protection Personal Identification Number that they can use when filing their returns. This IP PIN will help ensure that their accounts are secure.

Identity thieves are sneaky, and they’re always looking for new ways to scam the government. One way they’re abusing the system is by submitting tax returns containing the names and social security numbers of people who have died. The IRS is working to fight this by expanding a program which marks the accounts of deceased taxpayers to prevent fraudulent returns.

If you receive a notice from the IRS that says you may be a victim of identity theft, follow the instructions on the form. They’ll ask you to fill out an IRS Identity Theft Affidavit to document the incident.

If you believe that your identity has been compromised, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit by calling 1-800-908-4490.

If there’s anything you’d like the 22News I-Team to investigate, send an e-mail to iteam@wwlp.com