IRS Refund Delayed Due to Identity Theft - Need Help Clearing It Up
Hey everyone, I'm in a bit of a pickle. My identity was stolen about 8 months ago, and the IRS told me about it. Now I haven't received my income tax refund, and I'm wondering if it's because of the identity theft. Has anyone dealt with this before? I filed my taxes on time, but someone used my Social Security number to file their 2023 taxes. Any advice on how to clear this up?
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Javier Garcia
Ugh, that sucks! Identity theft is such a nightmare to deal with. Have you tried calling the IRS directly? They should have a special department for identity theft cases.
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NebulaNomad
Yeah, I've been trying to get through to them for weeks. It's like hitting my head against a brick wall 😫
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Emma Taylor
Pro tip: call early in the morning, like right when they open. You might have better luck getting through.
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NebulaNomad
Thanks for the tip! I'll give that a shot tomorrow morning.
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Malik Robinson
I found a method to get someone on the phone. 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/Jc9x-gysK0
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Isabella Silva
Sounds too good to be true. Is this legit?
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Malik Robinson
I was skeptical at first too, but it really worked for me. Saved me hours of hold time.
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Ravi Choudhury
20 bucks tho? Idk man, seems steep for a phone call.
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Malik Robinson
I get it, but think about how much your time is worth. For me, not having to sit on hold for hours was totally worth it.
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CosmosCaptain
Been there, done that. Here's what you need to do: 1. File an identity theft affidavit (Form 14039) with the IRS if you haven't already. 2. Contact the FTC and file a report at IdentityTheft.gov 3. Put a fraud alert on your credit reports 4. Keep all documentation related to the identity theft 5. Be patient (I know, it sucks) - it can take months to resolve Hang in there, OP. It's a long process, but you'll get through it!
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NebulaNomad
Wow, thank you so much for this detailed advice! I've done some of these steps already, but I'll make sure to complete the rest. Really appreciate it 🙏
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Freya Johansen
This is solid advice. I'd also recommend getting an Identity Protection PIN from the IRS for future filings.
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Omar Fawzi
lmao welcome to the club 🤡 irs is a joke these days
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Chloe Wilson
Have you checked the 'Where's My Refund' tool on the IRS website? Sometimes it gives more info than you'd expect.
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NebulaNomad
Yeah, I've been checking it daily. Still says 'processing' 😕
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Diego Mendoza
This happened to my cousin last year. It took about 6 months, but she eventually got her refund. Just keep pushin!
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NebulaNomad
6 months? Oof. Glad she got it sorted tho. Gives me hope!
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Anastasia Romanov
Hot take: maybe this is a sign we need to overhaul the entire tax system 🤔 Why are we still relying on SSNs for everything anyway?
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StellarSurfer
Preach! 👏 The system is so outdated it's not even funny.
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Sean Kelly
Careful, you might summon the libertarians with talk like that 😂
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Zara Malik
Hey OP, make sure you're documenting EVERYTHING. Every call, every letter, every interaction. It'll help if you need to escalate your case later.
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