What to do if you are a victim
- Report the fraud by calling the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490 immediately.
- Go to your local police department to obtain a police report.
- Contact one of the three major credit reporting bureaus and ask them to place a “fraud alert” on your credit report.
If the IRS suspects that a tax return with your name on it is potentially the result of identity theft, the agency will send you a special letter, called a 5071C Letter. This letter is to notify you that the agency received a tax return with your name and Social Security number and it believes it may not be yours.
A1: The IRS IP PIN is a 6-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their Social Security number on fraudulent federal income tax returns. A new IP PIN will be generated each year. This includes current year returns as well as any delinquent tax returns.
If the IRS suspects that a tax return with your name on it is potentially the result of identity theft, the agency will send you a special letter, called a 5071C Letter. This letter is to notify you that the agency received a tax return with your name and Social Security number and it believes it may not be yours.
If you think you are a victim of mail theft, officials ask you to report it immediately online at or by calling 877-876-2455.
While it's always good practice to avoid putting your social security number and other personal information into websites, there is a legitimate IRS site that can tell you the status of your refund. To access the real IRS page, go to IRS.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments and click on “Get My Payment.”
To see if your Social Security number is being used by someone else for employment purposes, review your Social Security Statement at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount to look for suspicious activity. Finally, you'll want to use additional scrutiny by regularly checking your bank and credit card accounts online.
The IRS will resolve all issues and close your case.
If the IRS discovers other tax years with identity theft-related issues, the IRS will resolve all the issues before closing out your case.If you report a person or business that's committed tax fraud, and the IRS uses your information to convict the person or business, you'll be eligible for up to 30 percent of the additional tax, penalty and other amounts collected by the IRS. In 2013, the Whistleblower Office paid $53 million to informants.
Federal has always come first and the state return usually a week or two after. Did something go wrong? The timing of a federal tax return refund and one from your state can vary. The state refunds are sometimes processed quicker than the IRS depending on the individual state timing.
It doesn't mean that anything is wrong, each state processes their state tax returns separately from the IRS, and the fact that you received your state refund first, just means that your state was able to process your state return and process your refund a bit more quickly than the IRS has processed your federal return
The IRS will continue processing your tax return once your identity is verified. Use the secure Identity Verification Service website idverify.irs.gov. To complete the entries you will need your name, date of birth, social security number and a copy of your most recently filed tax return.
The IRS offers resources to assist in cases where you believe it may have happened to you. First, you should file an Identity Theft Affidavit (IRS Form 14039) as soon as possible to let the IRS know that someone is using your identity. You can also call the IRS at 1-800-908-4490.
Your state tax refund may take longer to hit your bank account than your federal refund. If you file your taxes electronically and choose direct deposit, your federal tax refund should appear in your account within 21 days. States that tax income also issue refunds, which may take longer to arrive.
5071C is sent when the IRS detects the potential for identity theft and a fraudulent return. It doesn't mean identity theft has been confirmed, it's merely a suspicion. 4883C is sent when the IRS simply needs more information about the return you sent.
How to track the status and arrival of your stimulus check from the IRS
- Head to the IRS' Get My Payment page and tap the blue Get My Payment button to check the status of your economic impact payment.
- On the next page about authorized use, tap OK.
The IRS compares your claimed income against your IRS W2 Form, any 1099s and other tax documents it has received from businesses under your Social Security number to make sure your statement of what you earned matches the records of what these entities say they have paid you.
The IRS states it can take up to 9 weeks for them to process your paperwork and release your refund. Some taxpayers that are in similar situation as yours have reported that it has taken 5-6 weeks for some to receive their refunds.
After your identity and tax return is verified, your tax return will be processed. However, it can take as long as nine weeks for your taxes to be processed after your identity is confirmed.
The IRS also advises that if you believe you may become a victim of identity theft, you should call the Identity Protection Specialized Unit (IPSU), toll-free at 1-800-908-4490.
If you think you are a victim of mail theft, officials ask you to report it immediately online at report or by calling 877-876-2455.
To complete your personal tax return, you do not have to provide a federal or state tax identification number if your employer fails to list it on your Form W-2. You can file taxes without an Employer Identification Number.
A blue-ribbon commission in Congress was set up to design a more flagrantly moronic system, but it failed to find one. The best thing you can do is to file your tax return early. The IRS won't issue multiple refunds to the same SSN, so if you file first, a potential thief won't get any money.
Call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit right away at 800-908-4490. Create a file with every piece of paperwork you can get your hands on, dating back several years, to help prove you are who you say you are. File a police report and an IRS ID Theft Affidavit Form 14039. Be patient.
Simply put, tax-related identity theft (or tax refund identity theft) is when someone uses a stolen Social Security number to file a tax return. Even if you actually owe taxes, the fraudsters don't care.
Placing, lifting and removing security freezes is free, but security freezes must be placed separately at each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. At Equifax, you can create a myEquifax account to place a security freeze.
If you're talking about the "mailing address" you enter under the Personal Info tab, you should use the address of where you live "right now", as that is the address the IRS will send any correspondence to concerning your tax return.
You can also call the IRS at 1-800-908-4490. If you received a 5071C Letter from the IRS, it means the IRS received a return with your name and/or Social Security number and suspects it may not be from you. The IRS sends this letter to verify your identity and confirm whether or not you submitted the return.
Steps to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
- Go "All in" on Using Passwords.
- Mix up Your Passwords.
- Stay Away From Shady Websites and Links.
- Never Give Out Personal Information.
- Regularly Check Your Credit Reports.
- Establish Fraud Alerts if Needed.
- Protect Documents With Personal Information.
- Limit Your Exposure.
If you believe that someone stole your SSN to file the return, you should call the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490 for assistance.
