Buncombe County is informing citizens, “ID thieves are stealing tax refunds in NC.” Presumably they are neither referring to your friendly tax preparer, nor state officials, who only borrow your returns. An average of fifteen electronic filers a day receive a warning stating somebody has already filed in their name and claimed their refund. The county has some tips for dealing with the issue, including placing a call to 1-800-908-4490. The number belongs to an organization with the 21st-century name: The IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit.