Attorney General Andy Beshear and AARP Kentucky have issued a scam alert to help Kentucky families protect their tax returns from being stolen by scammers. Tax identity fraud occurs when someone uses your social security number to file a tax return in your name, before you file in order to steal your refund. Tips to avoid tax-related identity theft are to file early, consider electronic filing, and monitor your refund. The IRS might contact victims of tax fraud via mailed letter, while others may discover fraud when they attempt to file. For additional information, visit irs.gov/identitytheft.