With the holiday season now in full swing, the period presents a prime opportunity for identity thieves to try stealing personal financial information, which also could be used to potentially file fraudulent tax returns. People can face risks if they're shopping online and using publicly accessible Wi-Fi.

The IRS reminds taxpayers they can get extra protection starting in January by joining the agency's Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) program. The IP PIN is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number on fraudulent federal income tax returns. The IRS has made recent changes to the program to make it easier for more taxpayers to join.

You should protect your personal and financial data from criminals. Thieves use your data to file bogus tax returns and commit crimes while impersonating you.