With tax season currently here, it’s quite sobering to know that your Social Security number is exposed more so this time of the year than at any other time. For instance, your Social Security number is vulnerable to potential fraud when you receive your tax return via mail delivery. Not only that, but fraudsters will use this time of the year to aggressively send misleading emails which appear to have come from a reputable source to try and get you to provide your Social Security number.

By Nikki Junker, Identity Theft Resource Center Spring is coming up fast, but before you hit the gym for that beach perfect body you may want to take some time looking around your house first. Identity theft will definitely hurt you more in the long run than a little extra weight around the middle. The first inclination is to toss, toss, and toss! There is seemingly no reason that bank statements from last October should still be on your desk, but that statement should not be thrown into the nearest wastebasket. That wastebasket will eventually be moved out to the garbage for disposal where it is accessible to anyone who wants your account numbers and other personal information. However, taking a few key steps will help keep your identity safe and your sanity intact.

ProtectMyID recently worked with Impulse Research to conduct a survey about tax time and identity theft. The results were so compelling that we're including the news release about key findings and ways to protect your personal financial information here.