It's important that consumers are cautious when handling their tax-related information. Linda Foley, with the non-profit Identity Theft Resource Center, says there's an increased risk for identity theft during tax season for both electronic and mail filers.

"The convenience of electronic filing doesn't decrease consumer's vulnerability to the crime during tax season. The reality is you still need to keep paper back-ups for potential tax audits, making information security essential."

The best way to protect against identity theft is to shred all sensitive papers used to file taxes with a good cross-cut paper shredder. There are many such shredders on the market. Check out the Fellowes line with SafeSense Technology. One good model from this line is the Fellowes PS-77Cs. This shredded and others in the SafeSense Fellowes line have an active sensor that stops shredding immediately when the paper entry area is touched. It's pretty cool and keeps the shredder safer for children, pets, and even for adults.

Foley also says, "In addition, if consumers are filing by mail, we recommend sending completed tax forms from a locked mailbox or the post office. Electronic filers should ensure that every Web site they use during tax filing is encrypted and that the site has a secure h-t-t-p to protect personal information when transmitted."

You can check to make sure that the page where you enter your information is secure by making sure that there is an "s" after the http. So, for example, the address for a secure webpage would read https:// followed by the address. Look at the address bar of your browser to check for that important "s" in the web address!

Following these simple steps can keep you safer this tax season.