Refund scam targets income tax procrastinators

If you're a tax-time procrastinator, you have another reason to stress out this year.

By waiting to file your taxes, you may be opening yourself up to potential fraud.

It's called the 'stolen refund scam' and last year, more than 100,000 victims filed complaints about it.

The IRS says thieves are stealing people's social security numbers and filing false tax returns then having the refunds sent to them.

"Most people only find out that they've been victimized when they file their actual tax returns and the IRS says 'oh, we already have a return in your name,'" Stephanie Zimmerman, ABC News Fixer, said.

What follows can be a red-tape nightmare.

The IRS says victims can still get their refunds, but it will require patience and lots and lots of work and effort.

"The first thing you have to do is notify the IRS and file a police report and then you're going to be asked to file an affidavit of fraud and it's gonna take about a 120 extra days before you're going to get your refund," Zimmerman said.

The IRS says it's focused on weeding out scammers, flagging 19 million suspicious returns last year. Still, consumers need to be vigilant and proactive.

"The big thing is just to keep your information private, keep your social security number private. File your tax return early as possible to beat the scammers at their own game," Zimmerman said.

Filers can find more information on avoiding tax scams at IRS.gov.

MORE LINKS:

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Report-Phishing

http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Identity-Protection

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/Scam-Phone-Calls-Continue;-IRS-Identifies-Five-Easy-Ways-to-Spot-Suspicious-Calls