Locked out of IRS ID Verify after accidental click - now flagged for "Fraudulent Tax Filing" and can't e-file
I was trying to verify my identity on the IRS website and clicked the wrong button by accident. Now I'm locked out of the system and got a screen saying "Fraudulent Tax Filing Identified". The page specifically says "IRS records indicate that a return has been filed using your identity. Criminals attempt to file a fraudulent return and claim a tax refund under a stolen identity. By letting us know you're a victim of identity theft, the refund will not be issued." The most concerning part is it's telling me "If you were planning to file a tax return this tax season, you will not be able to file electronically and will need to mail your paper return by April 19, 2023." It even includes a link to "Where To File Paper Tax Returns". The page also mentions "If you don't already have an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) you may get an IP PIN as a proactive step to protect yourself from tax-related identity theft" and explains that "An (IP PIN) is a six-digit number that prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. The IP PIN is known only..." Anyone know what happens next or how long until I can try again? Really stressed about this since I need to verify for my refund. Did I just accidentally report myself for identity theft? Will I have to mail in a paper return now instead of e-filing like I planned? I'm really worried about the delay this will cause.
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Harmony Love
Tax pro here - don't stress too much! The system automatically locks for 24 hours after failed attempts. After that time passes, you can try again. If you get locked out 3 times, you'll need to call the Identity Verification hotline at 800-830-5084 or visit a local IRS office.
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McKenzie Shade
•omg thank u sm for explaining! 🙏 thought I totally messed everything up fr
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Rudy Cenizo
•Does this affect the processing time for refunds? asking cuz im in the same boat 😭
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Harmony Love
•It can add a few weeks to processing time, but once verified you should be good to go!
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Natalie Khan
Hey! Instead of stressing about the verification process, you should try taxr.ai - it's a tool that analyzes your transcript and tells you exactly what's happening with your refund and what steps to take next. It costs $4.99 but saved me so much headache. https://taxr.ai
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Daryl Bright
•fr? how does it work? does it actually help with id verify issues?
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Natalie Khan
•Yeah it's legit! You upload your transcript and it uses AI to break down everything - tells you about verification requirements, processing delays, estimated deposit dates. Way better than trying to figure it out yourself
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Daryl Bright
•Just tried it and OMG THIS IS AMAZING! 🙌 Finally understand wtf is going on with my refund! Worth every penny fr fr
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Sienna Gomez
bruh i did the exact same thing last week 🤡 these irs systems are straight trash
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Kirsuktow DarkBlade
Call them ASAP! I waited and it ended up taking 3 months to sort out 😩
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McKenzie Shade
•3 MONTHS?? nah im calling first thing tomorrow
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Abigail bergen
make sure u have all ur docs ready when u call - W2, last years return, ID, everything. they gonna ask mad questions
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Ahooker-Equator
The IRS website be playing games with all of us tbh 💅 like why they make it so complicated
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Anderson Prospero
•ong its like they dont want us to get our money 🤮
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Dmitry Ivanov
This happened to me too! The good news is that clicking the wrong button doesn't actually report you for identity theft - the system just has really sensitive triggers. You should be able to try again after 24 hours, but if you're still locked out after that, definitely call the verification hotline. Don't panic about having to mail a paper return - that message shows up automatically but once you get verified you can usually still e-file. Just keep all your documents handy for when you call!
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Yara Khoury
•Thank you so much for the reassurance! This is exactly what I needed to hear. I was totally freaking out thinking I had somehow flagged myself as a fraudster 😅 Really appreciate you clarifying that the paper return message is just automatic - that was my biggest worry since I've always e-filed. Definitely calling tomorrow if the 24 hour wait doesn't work!
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StarSurfer
Just went through this exact same thing last month! The "fraudulent tax filing" message is super scary but it's basically just the system being overly cautious. I got locked out for 24 hours, then was able to verify successfully on my second try. Pro tip: make sure you have good lighting when taking photos of your ID and double-check all the info before hitting submit. The verification process is honestly just really finicky. You'll be fine! 🙂
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