The Tampa Bay Identity Theft Alliance is reminding people to safeguard their identities as income tax season approaches.”As Tampa Bay residents begin to work on their taxes, our task force investigators continue to aggressively investigate cases of identity theft,” said FDLE Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center Special Agent in Charge Rick Ramirez.”Please help us by reporting suspicious activity and taking appropriate steps if you believe you may be a victim.”Florida has the nation’s highest rate of identity theft, according to federal prosecutor Wilfredo Ferrer. Much of the stolen information is used to commit tax fraud.