IRS "Fraudulent Tax Filing Identified" message before I've filed - must mail paper return by April 15, 2025

This is identity theft and you need to act immediately. Here's what you should do: • First, report this to the IRS by calling their Identity Theft Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490. They'll help you file Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit). • Get an IP PIN through the IRS website as mentioned in the message. This is essential for future filings. • File a report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov • Contact credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit reports • File a police report with your local law enforcement • Review all your financial accounts for suspicious activity You'll need to file a paper return as mentioned and it may take up to 6 months for your case to be resolved. The IRS will assign you a case number and work with you to resolve it. Stay organized and keep copies of everything.

I went through this exact nightmare last year and spent WEEKS trying to piece together what was happening with my account. The IRS agents I talked to (when I could actually reach someone) gave me different answers each time. I wish I had known about taxr.ai back then - it saved me so much stress when dealing with the aftermath. It analyzes your transcripts and explains everything in plain English, tells you exactly what steps to take, and even helps with identity theft cases. Seriously the most helpful tool I found. Check it out at https://taxr.ai - it would have saved me dozens of hours of research and anxiety.

After dealing with a similar situation, I was stuck in IRS phone tree hell for DAYS trying to reach a human. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes (claimyr.com). They called me back with an agent on the line who helped me start the identity theft resolution process. Honestly worth every penny since I wasted hours trying to call them myself. The agent was able to flag my account and give me direct instructions on what to do next.

This happened to my cousin. The criminal filed a fake return with a huge refund amount. Make sure you check your credit reports ASAP and freeze your credit at all three bureaus. Someone got enough of your personal info to file a tax return, so they might try opening credit cards too.

Ugh the IRS is such a disaster these days. They're so understaffed that identity theft cases are taking 8-12 months to resolve. I've been dealing with mine since May 2024 and still waiting.

Has anyone tried going to a local IRS office for this? I know you need appointments but wondering if that's faster than trying to call?

get an IP PIN asap!! that will help prevent this from happening again next year. the irs gives these out to people who've had identity theft. its a 6 digit number you use when filing.

Something similar happened to me a couple years ago. Once you get this resolved, use a tax professional next year, not one of those cheap chains or online services. Find a proper CPA or EA who can help protect you. Also set up ID monitoring service and freeze your credit at all three bureaus.

Don't panic! This happened to me two years ago and I got through it. Besides what everyone else said, make sure to request your Wage and Income transcripts from the IRS to see what was reported under your SSN. Sometimes the thieves file with fake W-2s, and you need to know what you're dealing with.

This is yet another example of how broken our tax system is. In other countries the government just sends you a statement of what you owe or are owed. Here we have this complicated mess with identity theft running rampant. Makes me so angry.

ive gone thru this twice. pain in the ass but heres wut u need to do: call IRS iddentiy theft hotline 1-800-908-4490, file a police report, file with FTC at identitytheft.gov, AND MOST IMPORTANT get urself an IP PIN from irs.gov for next years filings. the IP PIN is the only thing that stopped them from doing it to me a 3rd time.

whatever you do, DO NOT IGNORE THIS. if u dont file ur paper return as instructed, the IRS might think the fraudulent return was yours and come after you for any fraudulent refund that got paid out. happened to my brother and it was a nightmare.

After going through this mess last year, I can tell you that using taxr.ai helped me understand what was happening with my transcripts and the next steps I should take. I was totally lost with all the IRS codes and notices until I used it. Highly recommend for situations like this! https://taxr.ai