Tax season brings refunds, relief—and unfortunately, scammers. Each year, thousands of taxpayers fall victim to tax identity theft, where criminals use stolen personal information to file fraudulent returns, steal refunds, or impersonate the IRS. The…
If your refund seems delayed, learning how identity theft affects Where’s My Refund status messages can help you understand what is really happening behind the scenes. When the IRS detects identity risk indicators, your refund…
The Silent Refund Killer Nobody Talks About If the IRS previously identified you as a victim of identity theft, they issued you an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN). That six-digit number is now REQUIRED when…
A Complete Guide to Reporting IRS Tax Identity Theft and Recovering Your Refund Tax identity theft is one of the fastest-growing refund problems in the United States. It happens when someone uses your Social Security…
Why a Stolen Dependent SSN Can Freeze Your Entire Tax Return and How to Fix It Fast Child identity theft is one of the fastest-growing problems in the tax system. Most parents don’t find out…
Worried about identity theft messing with your tax return? The IRS has your back with the Taxpayer Protection Program (TPP)! This powerhouse initiative is like a superhero shield, stopping fraud in its tracks and keeping…
The Internal Revenue Service today reminded all taxpayers – particularly those who are identity theft victims – of an important step they should take to protect themselves from tax fraud. Some identity thieves use taxpayers’…
Don’t let your tax return raise red flags with the IRS! Understanding Badges of Fraud can keep you out of hot water and help you file with confidence. Here’s a quick, guide to what they…
Identity theft and tax refund fraud are on the IRS’s radar, and they’re teaming up to protect YOU! The Security Summit Initiative is a one-of-a-kind partnership between the IRS, state tax agencies, and private tax…
If the IRS does call a taxpayer, it should not be a surprise because the agency will generally send a notice or letter first. Understanding how the IRS communicates can help taxpayers protect themselves from scammers…
The Internal Revenue Service today urged taxpayers who receive Forms 1099-G for unemployment benefits they did not actually get because of identity theft to contact their appropriate state agency for a corrected form. States issue…
You just opened your mail and discovered that you have received an IRS Letter 5071C for the previous tax year. Confused, you read the notice a few times over and still cannot seem to wrap…
The IRS Just Made It Easier to Report Identity Theft Identity theft during tax season has exploded over the last few years. The IRS has now created a dedicated online hub called Identity Theft Central,…
What Is the IP PIN Retrieval Tool Recent Update: Seasonal Downtime What That Means for You — Timing Is Key Because of this seasonal shutdown: How to Get or Retrieve an IP PIN If online…
In 2016, the Criminal Investigation (CI) division of the Internal Revenue Service initiated 3,395 cases in the fiscal year 2016 that focused on tax-related identity theft, money laundering, public corruption, cybercrime, and terrorist financing. That’s according to…
Understanding the Problem and What the IRS Is Doing About It Identity theft and refund fraud continue to be among the fastest-growing threats facing taxpayers every filing season. Criminals use stolen Social Security numbers, W-2…
Protecting Your Personal Information Starts Before You File When most taxpayers think about identity theft, they imagine hackers breaking into the IRS, stealing Social Security numbers, and filing fraudulent returns. But the biggest weak spot…