Tax season comes as a relief for folks who rely on a return to pay down bills, make a major purchase, or build a savings. But it is also a time when the damage from identity theft becomes very real for some taxpayers as they discover that identity thieves have filed returns in their names using information they stole during the year. Most consumers will not face any issues, but the unlucky few who are tax identity theft victims will have to wait on their money and may have to jump through some hoops to get their returns.

There are a number of scenarios that a tax filer could face which mi...