All a scammer needs to file a fraudulent return to collect your tax refund is your name, Social Security number, birth date and a computer.

According to the U.S. Justice Department, this scam – known as stolen identity refund fraud – results in annual losses of more than $2 billion to the U.S. Treasury.

Follow these steps to prevent scam artists from stealing your tax refund:

Spot fake calls from the IRS

The IRS impersonation scam is a relentless operation.

Before donating, be aware that scammers set up fake charities to collect donations for themselves from compassionate people like you.

This fake charity raised millions

Cancer Fund of America (second on a list of the worst charities by the Center for Investigative Reporting) operated a network of charities that scammed donors into believing their contributions were going toward care packages for cancer patients. The Cancer Fund kept millions to themselves, while giving “less than 2 cents of every dollar raised” to patients or families.