Which of the following is an indicator that a taxpayer may be the victim of identity theft in tax matters?

• A. Duplicate or suspicious returns.
• B. Unexpected refunds.
• C. Notices about identity theft.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

Warning signs of identity theft in tax matters come from recognizing multiple red flags that can show someone is using your information to file taxes. Duplicate or suspicious returns occur when a thief files a return using your data, which can lead to a rejected e-file or a notification about a duplicate filing. Unexpected refunds signal that you’re receiving a refund you didn’t expect or that the amount differs from what you anticipated, suggesting fraudulent activity. Notices about identity theft are direct alerts from the IRS when they detect potential identity theft or irregular activity on your tax account. Seeing any of these signs is a strong indicator that identity theft may be involved, and encountering all of them together makes the case even more clear. So the best choice is all of the above.