When preparing to file your taxes this year, there are some steps you can take to make sure your identity and your tax refund are safe from thieves. Time Warner Cable News’ Tara Lynn Wagner filed this report.

Tax season is officially open and unfortunately that means it's also open season for tax related identity theft, the most common type of ID theft reported to the Federal Trade Commission in 2014. 

"These identity thieves are using your social security number and your date of birth -that's all they need - to file a tax return in your name. They get it in very fast and then they get the refund instead of you," says Ellen Stark, senior editor-at-large at Money.com.

The IRS says it is working aggressively to stop these crimes.  It says filters catch many fake returns before refunds are issued, but some do manage to get through.

According to the Government Accountability Office, over $5 billion worth of identity theft refunds were paid out during the 2013 filing season.

So what can you do to protect yourself from becoming a victim? Stark says beat would-be thieves to the punch and get your forms in before they do.

"If you are ready to file your taxes do it now,” she says. “The other upside is you get your refund faster."

As always, Stark says, one of the best ways to protect your identity is to protect your social security number.

"Don't carry it around in your wallet. If you have it on copies of things at home, shred those documents before you throw it out," she says.

Also, monitor your mailbox, which this time of year is full of sensitive documents containing your social security number and other personal information.

"Your employer is sending you your W-2. If you have any investments, you are getting 1099s and that's another way that ID thieves can get your data, they steal your mail,” says Stark.

Another common sense tip: if you e-file, make sure you do it over a secure network and not on public Wi-Fi at your local coffee shop.

Finally, know who you are dealing with. The IRS will only contact you through the mail, never through email or even on the phone. 

"Sometimes they are threatening you, saying that you have unpaid taxes and you might lose your driver’s license or be arrested. So you should immediately hang up," says Stark.

Information on preventing or reporting tax related identity theft can be found on the IRS website here and the FTC website here.