DENVER (KDVR) — Fraud and identity theft are driving Colorado officials to take additional steps to safeguard taxpayers.
Millions of people are looking forward to getting their tax refund as fast as possible, which usually means choosing the electronic transfer option. But with hackers finding ways to steal refunds, state officials say receiving a paper check may be safer in some situations.
One taxpayer, who did not want her identity revealed, told FOX31 she was concerned about her check being stolen from her mailbox.
“I paid to have my identity protected from that, and yet where is it? Where is the protection here?” she said.
Why your Colorado tax refund came in the mail
The Colorado Department of Revenue told the FOX31 Problem Solvers that avoiding potential refund fraud by sending paper checks outweighs taking the risk of sending a refund electronically to a scammer.
“Some refunds that are requested as direct deposit may be converted to paper check and mailed to the taxpayer’s address as a method of verifying that the refund is legitimate,” the department said in a statement.
Tax preparers told the Problem Solvers that customers who choose electronic filing should not be charged extra. Those who are scheduled to receive paper checks will receive a letter that explains the decision and a special phone number to call if they have questions.
The U.S. Postal Service recommends that residents collect their mail immediately or arrange to pick it up at their local post office if they have broken mailboxes.