Identify theft is on the rise and has become a major concern for every American citizen. In fact, every two seconds, another American becomes a victim of identity fraud. The number of identity theft victims jumped to 13.1 million in 2013. That’s an increase of 500,000 from 2012. As an American taxpayer, it’s important to understand the risks of identity fraud when it concerns your tax refund. Identity thieves are looking to score big in 2015 through the refund that is rightfully yours. The IRS is working hard to ensure the right processes and protocols are in place to stop identity thieves before they attack. They have more than 3,000 employees working on identity theft cases and have trained 35,000 employees who work with taxpayers to recognize and provide assistance when identity theft occurs. It’s important to stay alert this year and keep these tips in mind to secure your own tax refund and avoid identity theft.

Identity thieves targeting your social security number

Identity thieves looking to get your tax refund will do so through your social security number. Thieves will attempt to fill out a tax return using your information as their own. This will inevitably delay your tax return as the IRS attempts to seek out the thief and rectify the situation. Don’t carry your Social Security card or any documents with your SSN or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) on it. Also, don’t give a business your SSN just because they ask for it. Dig in deeper to learn more about why they need such private information and go with your gut — if it doesn’t feel right, don’t hand that information over.

Here are some more tips to avoid identify theft this tax season: 

Check your credit report at least every 12 months. Better yet, check it every month. There are now free services available out there to help monitor your credit report so you can better track any changes to your credit in real time.

Check your notices. If the IRS sends you a notice stating you were paid by an employer you don’t know or that there was more than one tax return filed using your SSN, contact that IRS back immediately.

Protect your personal computers and your phones. These days, our most private information travels with us via our cell phones. Make sure yours remains secure and virus free by using firewalls, secure passwords, and updating any relative virus software.

Protect your personal information. Phone apps make it easy and convenient to place your bank account information, SSN, and other pertinent information all over the web. Remember, this information offers detrimental access into your life if it fell into the wrong hands. Don’t trust every application with your private information.

If you feel you are the victim of identity theft through your tax refund, contact the IRS right away.