Anxious to file my taxes this year, I stalked the mailman waiting for the delivery of my W-2 forms. I figured that if I filed on time, I could relax and enjoy the fruits of last year’s labor by splurging on Spring Break. The bills were due, but I was overdue for some fun in the sun.
It finally arrived! I was late for work, so I could file my taxes. I thought the empty office would be filled with eager students like me. I waited patiently until it was my turn, and then I rushed to the seat. I quickly gave the tax preparer my paperwork. She entered my information, shook my hand and said my tax return should arrive in a month, at the latest.
My smile stretched from ear to ear as I left the tax office. I felt as if I just won the lottery. Nothing could get me down that day. The next day, I was sitting in class and received a call. Because the number was strange, I quickly ran to answer. It was the woman who prepared my taxes.
In a serious tone, she said, “You need to come in immediately.”
I panicked. I jumped in my truck and sped to the office. As I entered, I was nervous; my palms were sweaty. She quickly told me there was a problem. She asked me several questions.
“Has someone claimed to be you or used your name, because your return was rejected,” she said.
I made some calls to confirm that my mother had not claimed me on her taxes. I knew she hadn’t, but I wanted to be sure. Maybe a mistake was made, or my social security number was entered incorrectly.
Nervously I called the IRS.
The representative confirmed my worst nightmare: my identity had been stolen.
My stomach sank. It was then that I was really sick. I re-filed with the representative to terminate the original online fraudulent filing. The re-filing prompted an investigation that could take eight or more weeks. There went my Spring Break.
I spent half my rent money thinking I could replace it when I received my tax refund.
What was I going to do?
I quickly remembered that I could get a payday loan at a cash advance company. I grabbed the appropriate paperwork and went on my way.
I had to make sure my bills were paid.
In this world, you learn something different every day. Although I made an immature decision to spend money I didn’t have, I had to be accountable for my bills.
I would never think somebody would steal my identity. I barely had anything. Now I had to rethink my vacation plans. They say everything happens for a reason, so I’m not going to search for answers.
As fate would have it, I could not afford to travel anyway. I needed to use this time to catch up on school work, or there wouldn’t be a graduation ceremony for me in April.
That’s a wrap. I’m short on time and long on demands, so I must get going. The lesson I learned is have a plan A, B and C. I must say this is a different world.
Next: I will tell you how my plan to pay my bills backfired.