A spokeswoman for the Internal Revenue Service is warning people about the threat of con artists who steal Social Security numbers and use them to falsely claim refunds.

Karen Connelly with the agency's Denver office says in many cases all the thieves need is a name and Social Security number.

"They will create a document that has nothing to do with you" she says. ''They may not have the right filing status or number of dependents." The thief will file a return and collect the refund in many cases without the victim having any idea that their refund has been stolen until they file their return.

She says if you are a victim of refund theft should contact the IRS as soon as you find out you have been targeted. You will then need to file paper return and fill out an affidavit on the crime and may also be asked to report the crime to local police. It's also helpful to have copies of previous tax returns available to prove your case.

While you may eventually be able to collect the refund that is rightfully yours, in many cases it may take six months or even longer.

Connelly says to prevent the crime you should follow all of the normal rules of preventing identity theft, including refusing to give out your Social Security number unless it is absolutely necessary, and remembering frequently changing your passwords and closely safeguarding personal information both online and in face-to-face transactions.

She also recommends people avoid carrying their Social Security cars in their wallets or purses. It can also be helpful to file your return sooner rather than later to give thieves less  time to work with.

More From KGAB