Identity theft: Someone filed my 2023 taxes! How to file online now? (IRS help needed)
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a pickle. Someone stole my identity and filed my taxes for 2023. Now I'm trying to figure out how to file my own taxes online. Has anyone dealt with this before? What steps should I take? I'm worried about getting everything sorted out with the IRS.
22 comments
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Ella Thompson
Oh man, that sucks! I've been there before. First thing you need to do is contact the IRS immediately. They have a specific department for identity theft cases. Also, file a police report and get a copy - you'll need it for documentation.
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Matthew Sanchez
•Thanks for the advice! Did you have to go through a lot of hoops with the IRS? How long did it take to resolve everything?
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Ella Thompson
•It took a few months, tbh. The IRS moves pretty slow. But stay on top of it! Keep calling and checking in. Document EVERYTHING. And yeah, expect to fill out a ton of forms 🙄
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JacksonHarris
•bump for visibility. this is important info for anyone dealing with tax identity theft!
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Jeremiah Brown
Ugh, identity theft is the WORST. 🤮 Have you checked your credit reports? You should freeze your credit ASAP if you haven't already. It's free and can prevent more damage.
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Royal_GM_Mark
I found a method to get someone on the phone at the IRS. I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/1X-mEsLtbmQ
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Amelia Cartwright
•Sounds sketchy. Is this legit? $20 seems steep just to make a phone call.
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Royal_GM_Mark
•I get the skepticism, but it's totally legit. Saved me hours of hold time. Worth every penny when you're dealing with something as serious as identity theft.
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Chris King
•Can confirm, I've used this too. It's a lifesaver when you need to talk to a human ASAP.
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Rachel Clark
Here's what you need to do: 1. File an Identity Theft Affidavit (Form 14039) with the IRS 2. Contact the FTC and file an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov 3. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports 4. File your taxes by paper and include all documentation 5. Respond promptly to all IRS notices 6. Consider getting an Identity Protection PIN from the IRS for future filings It's a long process, but stay patient. Document everything and keep copies of all correspondence. Good luck!
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Matthew Sanchez
•Wow, thank you so much for this detailed list! It's really helpful to have all the steps laid out like this. I'll definitely be following these instructions.
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Zachary Hughes
•This is gold 💯 Mods should pin this comment!
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Mia Alvarez
lol welcome to the club nobody wants to join 🤡 I've been dealing with this mess for TWO YEARS now. The system is broken af
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Carter Holmes
•Two years?! That's insane. What's taking so long?
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Mia Alvarez
•IRS backlog + COVID delays + general bureaucratic nonsense. It's a perfect storm of suck 😫
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Sophia Long
Pro tip: Get yourself a good tax attorney or CPA who specializes in identity theft cases. They can navigate the IRS maze better than you can alone. It costs money, but it's worth it for the peace of mind.
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Angelica Smith
Has anyone tried using those identity theft protection services? Are they worth it or just a waste of money?
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Logan Greenburg
•I use LifeLock. It's okay, but tbh most of what they do you can do yourself for free. Just gotta be vigilant.
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Charlotte Jones
•I think there more for peace of mind than anything else. But hey, if it helps you sleep at night 🤷♂️
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Lucas Bey
Just went thru this last year. Whatever you do, DON'T file your taxes online until you get it sorted out with the IRS. File by mail and include a explanation letter + all your documentation.
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Harper Thompson
Friendly reminder to everyone: CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORTS REGULARLY! You can get free reports from all 3 bureaus once a year at AnnualCreditReport.com. Stay vigilant, folks!
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Caleb Stark
•This! 👆 Set a reminder on your phone to do this every 4 months. Rotate between the 3 bureaus.
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