Allstate survey: Americans express growing concern about their personal info at tax time – why identity protection may offer the best safeguards

By: The Allstate Corporation via Business Wire

March 20, 2025 at 08:03 AM EDT

Allstate Identity Protection survey finds nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans are concerned scammers will steal their personal information to file a tax return and pocket the refund.
Allstate Identity Protection guarantees members’ tax refunds are protected from fraud.

As tax season begins, new findings from Allstate Identity Protection reveal growing concerns about identity theft – yet many filers may be overlooking protections that can safeguard their personal information and refunds.

A new survey from Allstate Identity Protection finds that 64% of Americans worry scammers will steal their personal information, like their Social Security number, to file a tax return and pocket their refund.¹

The rise in tax-related identity theft is real, with 40% of Allstate Identity Protection’s identity restoration cases reported during tax season alone.²

“Tax season is prime time for identity theft, with refunds on the line that are often worth thousands,” said Caroline Slane, senior vice president of business operations at Allstate Identity Protection. “We help people take control before fraud happens and get their life back on track when it does.”

An overlooked benefit that protects your tax refund

Many people turn to identity monitoring services, but possible overlooked benefits in a plan can offer another strong safety net. In fact, two-thirds (66%) of Americans say they’d pay for a service like Allstate Identity Protection that guarantees their tax refund is protected from fraud with features that:

Advance impacted members’ refunds, so they don’t wait years to get their money back.
Reimburse members’ identity theft-related costs up to $1 million, including legal fees and lost wages.

New this year: Allstate now offers an identity restoration plan with a dedicated specialist to help members recover stolen identities, restore credit and secure accounts. Plans start at just $3/month.

How bad is it? Americans say they’d rather…

With victims waiting nearly two years to recover stolen tax refunds, Americans say they’d rather deal with major financial setbacks than fall victim to fraud:

Lose their wallet with all of their credit cards (59%).
Have their phone hacked (58%).
See their credit score drop 100 points overnight (58%).
Lose their job unexpectedly (54%).
Have their bank account drained (52%).

A growing concern, but few are taking action

One in five Americans (20%) say they’re more worried about tax-related identity theft this year, and 44% say their concern is just as high as previous years. Americans’ identity theft fears are primarily driven by:

News about rising tax fraud (43%).
IRS delays and staffing shortages (42%).
Rise in AI-powered fraud (42%).

Despite these concerns, one in three Americans (33%) admit they’ve done nothing to protect themselves from tax-related identity theft.

How to prevent falling victim to tax fraud

Fraud isn’t just a tax-time issue—government and tax fraud rank among Allstate Identity Protection’s top three identity theft cases for years.³ Other common scams, like fraudulent credit card and loan applications, also cost Americans millions annually.

“The best way to stay safe is to file early, use an IRS Identity Protection PIN and stay alert. Taking proactive steps now can safeguard your personal information and ensure your tax refund stays in the right hands,” Slane said.

If you suspect that you are a victim of tax-related identity theft, it’s important to take action immediately. Once you learn that someone has filed taxes using your identity, here’s what to do next:

Physically mail your paper return to the IRS.
Complete and send an Identity Theft Affidavit letting the IRS know you are a tax identity theft victim, and that your paper return is the valid one.

For more tips on protecting personal information this tax season, visit AllstateIdentityProtection.com.

About Allstate

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) protects people from life’s uncertainties with a circle of protection including cars, homes, electronic devices, benefits and identity theft. Products are available through a broad distribution network including Allstate agents, independent agents, major retailers, online, and at the workplace. Allstate is famous for the slogan You’re in Good Hands with Allstate^®.

Methodology

¹Survey conducted between Feb. 27-28, 2025 on behalf of Allstate Identity Protection by Morning Consult, among a national sample of 2,209 adults. The interviews were conducted online, and the data was weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, educational attainment, gender, race, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of +/- 2%.

²Allstate Identity Protection restoration cases reported Jan.-April, 2024.

³Based on number of Allstate Identity Protection restoration cases Jan., 2022-Dec., 2024.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320539529/en/

“We help people take control before fraud happens and get their life back on track when it does,” said Caroline Slane, senior vice president of business operations at Allstate Identity Protection.

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Allstate survey: Americans express growing concern about their personal info at tax time – why identity protection may offer the best safeguards

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