Crime & Safety

New Canaan Couple Reports ID Theft to Police

Police say a fraudulent tax return was reported as filed with the IRS, including a real Social Security number.

New Canaan police say they’re investigating a report of identity theft that targeted town residents.

According to Lt. Vincent DeMaio of the , an elderly West Cross Road couple’s accountant received from the IRS a fraudulent tax return filed by an unknown third part, using the residents’ real Social Security number.

“During tax season, we have a lot of these going on,” DeMaio said. “It’s important for seniors, and everyone for that matter, to safeguard their personal information and identity.”

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The couple filed its complaint with police at 10:24 a.m. on Saturday. The IRS rejected the fraudulent filing, DeMaio said, though isn’t clear why it did, how the couple’s Social Security number was leaked or whether the New Canaan couple lost money as a result. The case is under investigation, DeMaio said.

As in Patch’s Local Voices blogging platform, seniors often are targets of ID scams that involved Social Security numbers.

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The IRS says on its Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft (see also: IRS Identity Theft Protection Page) that ID theft indicators during tax season include:

Be alert to possible identity theft if you receive an IRS notice or letter that states that:

  • More than one tax return for you was filed,
  • You have a balance due, refund offset or have had collection actions taken against you for a year you did not file a tax return, or 
  • IRS records indicate you received wages from an employer unknown to you. 


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