My ex-boyfriend apparently started a business using my identity and owes taxes in my name. What do I do?

First you have to understand, the government can only rely on evidence made part of your file. You probably should quickly seek out an attorney to avoid -- or undo -- the imposition of personal liability for this business' tax debts. Since you are not certain what happened, be defensive. Collect all documents on hand, and share them with a tax attorney that handles business tax disputes. And don't wait to act to hire representation, as IRS will continue to work its case too.

There are a number of things that you should do with respect to protecting yourself in this situation. You should report this situation to the local law enforcement authorities, immediately. The IRS has a number of links on its web site to help taxpayers protect themselves. You should also report the Identity Theft to the Federal Trade Commission. Links to both IRS and the FTC are provided. Good Luck! Paul