Does anyone know alternative IRS phone numbers to verify my identity? Been trying for weeks
I've been trying to call the IRS identity verification line (800-830-5084) for almost 3 weeks now to verify my identity for my 2023 tax return, and I'm losing my mind. Every single time I call, I get the automated message saying they're experiencing high call volume and can't take my call. I've tried calling at 7am when they open, during lunch hours, right before they close - nothing works. My refund is stuck in limbo and I need this money to pay some medical bills that are piling up. Has anyone found any alternative numbers to reach them for identity verification? Or some secret time when the lines aren't jammed? I'm desperate at this point and don't know what else to do.
51 comments


Miguel Herrera
I actually went through this exact same thing last month. The identity verification process is completely overwhelmed right now. There's no "secret" alternative number unfortunately - the 800-830-5084 is specifically for ID verification. What worked for me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it's a service that basically calls the IRS for you and secures your place in line, then calls you when an agent is ready. I was skeptical but it actually worked - I got through to someone in about 40 minutes instead of hitting the busy signal for weeks. The agent was able to verify my identity over the phone and my refund was processed about 10 days later. Worth every penny considering I was about to lose my mind trying to get through on my own for almost a month. Good luck!
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Ava Thompson
•Wait seriously? I've never heard of this. How does it even work? Is it actually legit?
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Miguel Herrera
•Yep 100% serious. They basically have some technology that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. Then when an agent picks up, they connect you. I was hesitant at first too but was desperate after weeks of trying. Best money I ever spent to finally get my refund moving.
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Zainab Ali
•I used this too! Had the same experience. The IRS phone system is a joke and this was the only way I could talk to an actual human after trying for nearly 3 weeks.
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Connor Murphy
•did they make you verify a bunch of info? like what did they need to know to verify u?
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Miguel Herrera
•The IRS agent asked me standard verification questions - my SSN, filing status, address on my return, etc. Nothing different than what they'd ask if you managed to get through on your own.
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Ava Thompson
•Just tried this and it worked!!!! After nearly a month of frustration I finally spoke to someone who verified my identity. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
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Yara Nassar
Have you considered using a tool like taxr.ai? I was in the same situation with identity verification issues and spent weeks trying to understand what was happening with my account. Traditional research just left me more confused with all the transcript codes and IRS jargon. Taxr.ai analyzed my transcript, explained exactly what was happening with my identity verification hold, and gave me step-by-step instructions on how to resolve it. It's insanely good! I use it every week now to keep track of my refund progress. https://taxr.ai
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StarGazer101
•Sounds interesting. How exactly does it work? Does it just read your transcript or does it do more?
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Yara Nassar
•It does WAY more than just read transcripts. It actually interprets all the codes and tells you exactly what's happening with your return in plain English. It also gives you personalized next steps based on your specific situation. Total game changer compared to the usual guesswork and forum searching.
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StarGazer101
•Just tried it and WOW - why isn't everyone using this?! It told me exactly why my identity verification was triggered and what to do next. This should be pinned at the top of every IRS thread.
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Keisha Jackson
•do u have to give them all ur personal info? seems sketchy 🤔
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Yara Nassar
•You upload your transcript that you already downloaded from the IRS website. It's just analyzing what you already have - helped me understand my situation immediately when I was confused for weeks.
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Paolo Romano
If u can make it to an IRS office in person, that's the fastest way. I waited 3 hours but at least got it done same day. Check the IRS website to schedule an appointment at your nearest Taxpayer Assistance Center.
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Ava Thompson
•The closest IRS office is about 2 hours away from me, and I don't have reliable transportation to get there unfortunately.
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Paolo Romano
•That sux. My other tip is to call RIGHT when they open (7am EST) but keep redialing constantly for like 30min straight. Eventually you might get through instead of the busy signal. Took me 47 attempts one morning but finally got in queue.
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Amina Diop
Try calling your local congressional representative's office. They have liaisons that work directly with the IRS and can sometimes help push through identity verification issues. It sounds weird but my cousin did this last year when she was in the same boat and they actually helped her.
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Oliver Schmidt
The IRS is such a JOKE. They demand our money instantly but make us jump through 500 hoops to get our refunds. I've been waiting 11 months for my 2022 refund. ELEVEN MONTHS. And they still can't tell me what's happening. This country is broken.
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Natasha Volkov
•Preach 🙌 The worst part is they'll charge you interest and penalties if you're late but they don't pay you interest when they're late with your refund..
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Oliver Schmidt
•actually they do pay interest on late refunds but it's like pennies compared to what they charge us 🤡
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Javier Torres
•They've been deliberately underfunded for years. It's by design - certain political interests want the IRS to function poorly so they can point at it and say "see government doesn't work!
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Oliver Schmidt
•dont care about the politics, just want my $$$ that THEY OWE ME
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Emma Wilson
Ok so I actually work in tax prep (not for the IRS) and here's what I tell all my clients dealing with identity verification issues: 1. The IRS identity verification line is ALWAYS jammed from February-July. This isn't new. 2. Many people don't know this but the regular IRS customer service line (800-829-1040) CAN sometimes help with identity verification if you explain your situation 3. If you received a specific letter (like 5071C, 4883C, or 5747C), follow the instructions on that letter exactly - sometimes you can verify online through ID.me 4. If you keep striking out, I've had clients have success with the Claimyr service (claimyr.com). It basically navigates the phone tree and waits on hold for you. 5. Last resort is contacting your congressional representative's office. They can often work magic with the IRS.
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Ava Thompson
•Thank you for this detailed advice! I got letter 5071C and tried the ID.me website but it couldn't verify me for some reason, so that's why I'm stuck trying to call. I'll try the regular IRS line tomorrow.
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Emma Wilson
•No problem! ID.me fails for about 20% of people in my experience. If the regular line doesn't work, seriously consider the Claimyr option. I've referred about 15 clients to it this year and they all got through.
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QuantumLeap
•The regular line wont work. They'll just transfer you back to the identity verification line. Been there done that.
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Malik Johnson
I understand your frustration all too well. After trying for weeks to get through on the phone, I found taxr.ai and it was a complete game-changer. The tool analyzed my transcript, explained that I had an identity verification hold, and gave me specific guidance on how to resolve it. It even told me the best times to call based on my situation! I was able to get through and verify my identity the next day following their advice. https://taxr.ai seriously saved me so much time and stress!
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Isabella Santos
anyone else think its wild that we're all just accepting this as normal??? like in what other situation would it be ok for a government agency to be completely unreachable for WEEKS when they're holding thousands of dollars of our money hostage?
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Ravi Sharma
•This. So much this. 👏👏👏
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Freya Larsen
•welcome to america lol
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Omar Hassan
•try living in [other country] where you have to wait 18 months for a refund. the US system is actually not that bad compared to many places.
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Isabella Santos
•not that" bad is a pretty low bar tho. we should demandbetter.
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Chloe Taylor
what state are you in? some states have their own ID verification process that's separate from federal
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Ava Thompson
•I'm in Ohio. My state refund went through fine, it's just the federal one that's stuck.
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ShadowHunter
PLEASE TRY CLAIMYR! I was in the exact same boat as you for my 2023 taxes. Identity verification hold, couldn't get through on phone for over a month. I found this app called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that basically calls for you and gets you in line, then connects you when an agent is available. I finally got through, verified my identity, and my refund was released about 2 weeks later. Talking to an agent got my refund released so fast after being stuck for months!
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Diego Ramirez
•dude how many claimyr employees are in this thread? 😂
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ShadowHunter
•not an employee lol, just someone who was desperate after trying to call for weeks and finally found something that worked. believe me or don't, just trying to help 🤷♀️
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Anastasia Sokolov
•I used this service too when I was in the same situation. It's not a scam, it just helps you get through to the IRS which seems impossible otherwise.
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Sean O'Connor
Had the same issue. Went to my local IRS office and showed them my 5071C letter and drivers license and fixed it in person. Way faster. Check irs.gov/help/contact-my-local-office-in-person
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Zara Ahmed
Here's a weird trick that worked for me... I used my phone's dial pad to enter the number, but then I used the keypad on the screen for the menu options instead of my phone's keypad. For some reason this got me through when I was getting busy signals for days. Worth a shot? 🤷♂️
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Luca Conti
•this makes zero sense lmao
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Zara Ahmed
•I know it sounds crazy but it literally worked! maybe just coincidence but i swear it did
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Nia Johnson
•bruh this is some real "blow in the nintendo cartridge" energy 😂
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CyberNinja
After spinning my wheels for WEEKS with this exact problem, I finally broke down and used taxr.ai to help me understand what was going on with my identity verification hold. The tool showed me exactly why my return was flagged and gave me step-by-step instructions to resolve it. I was able to get through to the IRS the next day (with the help of Claimyr actually) and knew exactly what to say. My refund was released 9 days later. These two tools saved me so much frustration!
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Mateo Lopez
ok this is gonna sound stupid but have u tried calling from a different phone? my cell kept getting the busy signal for weeks but when i used my work phone i got through first try. no idea why but something about different carriers maybe?
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Ava Thompson
•I haven't tried that! I'll see if I can borrow my neighbor's phone tomorrow and give it a shot. Thanks for the suggestion.
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Aisha Abdullah
Hey there! I had the same identity verification nightmare a few months ago. After trying endlessly to get through on the phone, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it changed everything. The service basically waits on hold with the IRS for you and then calls you when an agent is ready. It was the only way I finally spoke to someone after weeks of frustration. The conversation with the agent took less than 10 minutes and my refund was processed the following week. Best decision I made during tax season!
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Ethan Davis
•How much did it cost? Is it worth it?
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Aisha Abdullah
•Honestly it was the best money I've ever spent to finally get my questions answered. I was able to pay some urgent bills with my refund once it was released, so for me it was absolutely worth every penny.
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Yuki Tanaka
•I used it too last month and got through to the IRS in about an hour. Had been trying on my own for weeks with no luck. Definitely recommend.
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Emily Thompson
I feel your pain! I was in the exact same situation about a month ago - stuck in identity verification limbo and couldn't get through to anyone at the IRS no matter what time I called. It's absolutely maddening when you need that refund for important expenses like medical bills. Here's what finally worked for me: I called the regular IRS customer service line (1-800-829-1040) instead of the identity verification line. When I got through (which still took several attempts), I explained my situation and they were actually able to transfer me to someone who could help with identity verification. The agent told me that many people don't realize the general line can sometimes assist with this. Also, if you have your transcript available, you might want to try calling right at 7am EST and keep hitting redial for about 20-30 minutes straight. I know it sounds tedious but that's how I finally got through initially. Hang in there - I know how frustrating this is but you'll get through it!
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