The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning residents to be cautious if you receive a 1099-G tax form for unemployment benefits when you did not apply for unemployment. The tax form reports unemployment compensation when filing your tax returns. If you receive the form and have not applied for unemployment benefits, you are instructed to notify the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services immediately. The scam is a form of identity theft, with scammers targeting your identity.

Even though tax season seems far away, preparing to tackle your taxes now may help you in the long run. Cheryl Lawson with Lawson Tax & Accounting Services says that starting to get everything together for tax season is better when done sooner rather than later. She adds that employees should start seeing their W-2 forms from their employers this month and that recent tax laws have changed things for small business owners.