Warning Signs of Client Data Theft.

• Position: IRS news

The IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry are calling on tax professionals to be alert to the subtle signs of data theft, noting continuing cases where practitioners are victims of theft and don't even know it.

Cybercriminals often leave few signs of their burglary until the fraudulent tax returns are filed and clients are harmed--a main reason why tax professionals should use strong security protections to prevent data theft. Among the warning signs that an office may have experienced a data theft:

* Client e-filed returns begin to be rejected because returns with their Social Security numbers were already filed;

* Clients who haven't...