With the April 15 tax filing deadline less than a week away, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reissuing her consumer alert on tax-related identity theft and urging residents to protect themselves.

Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses stolen personal information to file a phony tax return and claim the refund for themselves, Nessel advised in a news release.

“Bad actors will stop at nothing to steal our personal information and hard-earned money,” Nessel said in the release. “… It’s imperative that everyone knows the signs of identity theft. The IRS will not make threatening calls or send texts demanding immediate payment. To make sure you receive your refund, stay alert, file securely and report any suspicious activity to the IRS.”

The IRS is often the first to inform a victim that their identity has been stolen. Steps consumers can take to best protect themselves and avoid becoming a victim include —

— Not giving out your Social Security Number unless for a good reason, you’re confident you’re giving it to someone authorized to request this information, and you know how they will protect it.

— If filing electronically, doing so on a secure internet connection.

— If filing by mail, sending the tax return directly from the post office.

— Researching a tax preparer thoroughly before handing over personal information and never sending personal information via text or email.

For more information, go to the IRS’ Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/fs-12-08.pdf and its Identity Theft Guide for Individuals page at https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central/identity-theft-guide-for-individuals.

The IRS will never call or text taxpayers with threats of lawsuits or arrests, nor will they ask them to wire money or pay with a gift card or prepaid debit card.

The Attorney General encourages those who find they are victims of any type of identity theft to follow the steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission and file a complaint. If an individual’s Social Security Number is compromised and tax-related identity theft is suspected, the IRS recommends that consumers —

— Immediately contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490;

— Respond immediately to any IRS notice;

— Complete IRS Form 14039 Identity Theft Affidavit at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14039.pdf, which is also available online through IRS Publication 5027 – Identity Theft Information for Taxpayers, https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5027.pdf;

— Continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must do so by paper; and

— Remember that even if a false refund is claimed and issued in your name, identity scammers do not actually steal “your” refund. If you are legally entitled to a tax refund, being a verified victim of tax-related identity theft will not change that. Your refund may be delayed, but you will, eventually, get your refund.

To file a complaint with the Attorney General, or get additional information, contact:

Consumer Protection Team

P.O. Box 30213

Lansing, MI 48909

517-335-7599

Fax: 517-241-3771

Toll-free: 877-765-8388

A link to an online complaint form can be found at Consumer Protection’s File a Complaint webpage at https://www.michigan.gov/consumerprotection/complaints.