Identity Theft Alert: Someone already filed taxes using my SSN - What to do?

Thanks so much for the detailed response! Quick question - for the paper filing, do I just print out the same forms I prepared electronically through TaxSlayer and mail those in? Or do I need to fill out fresh forms? And should I include a copy of the rejection notification with my paper filing?

Yes, you can print the forms you prepared through TaxSlayer and mail them in. Just make sure to sign and date the physical copy of your 1040 with blue or black ink - electronic signatures won't work for paper filing. You should definitely include a copy of the rejection notification along with your paper return and a completed Form 14039 if you haven't submitted it separately already. This helps the IRS connect your case and understand why you're filing by paper.

Does this actually work with identity theft cases? I thought these AI tools were just for basic tax questions. How exactly did they help with the actual identity theft part since that's more about dealing with the IRS processes?

I'm a bit skeptical about this. How would an AI tool help with something that requires direct IRS intervention? Did it actually speed up your refund process or just give you the same info that's available on the IRS website?

For identity theft specifically, they analyzed my rejection codes and explained exactly what they meant - turns out different rejection reasons require different approaches. The system identified that my case was likely a fraudulent return rather than just a typo in my SSN, which meant I needed additional steps beyond the basic Form 14039. As for speeding up the process, it didn't make the IRS work faster, but it did prevent me from making mistakes that would have caused further delays. Their system flagged that I needed to include specific supporting documentation with my paper return based on my situation, which wasn't obvious from the generic IRS instructions. The guided workflow kept me from missing critical steps.

How exactly does this service work? Do you have to give them personal info? Seems sketchy to provide tax details to a third party when you're already dealing with identity theft...

Yeah right. Nothing gets you through to the IRS faster. I've been trying for months and there's no secret backdoor or special service that magically makes federal agencies pick up the phone. Sounds like you're selling something.

They don't need any of your tax details or personal information. It's just a call service that navigates the IRS phone tree for you and holds your place in line. You only provide your phone number so they can call you when an agent is on the line. Then you take over the call directly with the IRS - they don't stay on or have access to what you discuss. The service doesn't create a "backdoor" to the IRS. It's more like having someone wait in a physical line for you and then wave you over when it's your turn. The IRS phone system is designed to discourage callers with long wait times, and most people give up after multiple attempts. This just handles the tedious waiting part.

That's such a good point. In my case, the scammer only filed federal but not state (probably because my state has extra verification steps). How did you find out about the fraudulent state return? Did you get a separate rejection?

I actually didn't get a rejection for my state return initially because I filed my federal first and was dealing with that mess before I got around to filing state. I called my state tax agency as a precaution and they told me a return had already been filed with my SSN about two weeks earlier. The state tax agency ended up being much easier to work with than the IRS - they had me fill out their own identity theft affidavit form and submit copies of my ID. It still took about 8 weeks to resolve, but they were much more communicative throughout the process.

Not a stupid question at all! The scammers use your SSN but change the direct deposit information to their own account (or often to prepaid debit cards that are harder to trace). They typically make up income and deduction information to generate a larger refund than you'd actually be entitled to. They're basically betting that they can get the fraudulent refund processed before you file your legitimate return. The IRS processes returns on a first-come-first-served basis without automatically matching W-2s and 1099s until later, which creates this vulnerability.