MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A postal carrier filling the mailboxes at the Waterview apartments today but some residents are worried someone other than the US Postal Service has been going through their mail.
A picture of what appears to be opened mailboxes is circulating on a neighborhood social network site.
People who live here are concerned someone is looking for w2’s.
Veronic Sistrunk gets her w2 straight from her employer and isn’t concerned, but knows tax return fraud is real.
Last year, her son who lives in Alabama had to contact the IRS after someone filed a return in his name in Tennessee.
“He did file a claim saying that was not him that filed,” Sistrunk said.
The IRS says if you think you might be a victim of tax-related id theft fill out form 14039 an identity theft affidavit.
The IRS says you should also file a complaint with federal trade commission, one of the major credit bureaus and your bank.
So far, Memphis police have not received any reports of mail thefts at this apartment complex.
Latoya who says come January she knows to be on the look for sensitive tax information and checks her mailbox regularly.
“I always check it at least every other day and if it looks like someone has tampered with it have them change the locks,” Latoya said.
The IRS says it can take up to 180 days to resolve an ID theft case. The good news.
The IRS will still give your refund even if they have already paid it out to somebody pretending to be you.