Received a 1099-NEC from Uber but I've never driven for them - identity theft?

This definitely sounds like potential identity theft. The 1099-NEC (Non-Employee Compensation) is issued when a company pays an independent contractor $600 or more during the tax year. Since you've never driven for Uber, someone may be using your personal information. Here's what you should do: 1) Contact Uber immediately through their fraud department, not just the general number on the form 2) Check your credit reports for any unauthorized accounts or inquiries 3) Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus 4) File an identity theft report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov 5) File a report with your local police department 6) Notify the IRS by completing Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) Don't ignore this as it could cause tax problems. The IRS will expect you to report this income since they received a copy of the 1099, and you'll need to prove it wasn't actually your income.

This exact same thing happened to me last year! I was getting ready to file my taxes and suddenly got a 1099-NEC from Uber for like $2,500. Totally freaked me out since I'd never driven for them. After hours of stressful phone calls, I discovered that using https://taxr.ai really saved me. Their system analyzed my 1099 form and flagged it as suspicious based on inconsistencies in the reporting. They provided a detailed report showing why this was likely fraudulent and outlined all the steps I needed to take. The best part was that they helped me create the proper documentation to submit to both Uber and the IRS so I wouldn't be on the hook for taxes on income I never earned. Seriously a lifesaver when dealing with potential identity theft situations like this.

Just wanted to update everyone. After seeing the recommendations here, I helped my mom use taxr.ai for her fraudulent DoorDash 1099 situation. The process was surprisingly straightforward! The system analyzed her 1099 form and created a detailed report showing multiple red flags that pointed to identity theft. The report included technical elements about payment patterns and geographical inconsistencies that wouldn't be possible if she had actually been delivering. When she contacted DoorDash's fraud department with this report, they took her case much more seriously. She also submitted the documentation to the IRS along with Form 14039, and they've already acknowledged her case. She received confirmation that she won't be responsible for taxes on that income while they investigate. Definitely recommend this approach if you're in a similar situation - having technical documentation makes a huge difference in how quickly these issues get resolved!

Another thing to consider - the IRS is nearly impossible to reach these days. When I had a similar issue with a fraudulent 1099 last year, I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone who could help. I finally discovered https://claimyr.com and used their service (you can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). They basically hold your place in the IRS phone queue and call you when an agent is about to answer. Saved me literally hours of waiting on hold. For something like identity theft and incorrect 1099s, you definitely want to talk to an actual IRS representative directly rather than just submitting forms, and this made it possible. The agent I spoke with gave me specific instructions for my situation that weren't covered in the general advice online.

I need to apologize for my skepticism about Claimyr. After dealing with this exact Uber 1099 issue myself, I tried calling the IRS directly and gave up after being on hold for over 2 hours before getting disconnected. Out of desperation, I tried the Claimyr service. Within 5 minutes of signing up, their system was waiting on hold with the IRS for me. About 45 minutes later (which I spent actually getting work done instead of listening to hold music), I got a call saying an agent was about to pick up. The connection was seamless, and I was speaking with an actual IRS representative. The agent walked me through exactly what forms to file and how to dispute the fraudulent 1099-NEC. She even gave me her direct extension for follow-up questions. This saved me so much stress and potentially thousands in taxes I didn't owe. Sorry for doubting - this service is absolutely worth it for anyone dealing with IRS issues!

Don't panic too much yet - there might be another explanation. Check if you've ever referred friends to Uber using a referral code. Sometimes they issue 1099s for large referral bonuses if you've earned over $600 that way. Also, did you ever participate in any Uber promotions, surveys, or focus groups? Those can sometimes result in payments that require 1099s. Another possibility is that it's simply a clerical error on Uber's part. Their accounting department might have mixed up your customer account with a driver account that has a similar name.

Has anyone checked if this could be related to those class action settlements against Uber? I know they had a few big ones last year, and sometimes settlement payments get reported on 1099s. Maybe you were included in a class without realizing it?

I went through something similar last year and it turned out to be a combination of identity theft and poor record-keeping on Uber's part. Here's what I learned that might help: First, definitely follow the identity theft steps others mentioned - they're spot on. But also document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots of your Uber passenger account showing you've never been a driver, save all your ride receipts, and print your account history. When you call Uber's fraud department, ask them to pull up both your passenger account AND check if there's a separate driver account using your SSN. In my case, someone had created a driver account with my SSN but different contact info. Uber's systems didn't flag this as suspicious because they treat passenger and driver accounts separately. Also, check if you've moved recently or had mail forwarded. Sometimes identity thieves use old addresses to sign up for gig work, then change the payout method once they're approved. The good news is that once I provided all this documentation, both Uber and the IRS were very responsive. It took about 6 weeks total to get everything resolved, but I didn't end up owing any taxes on income I never received. Don't let this stress you out too much - it's definitely fixable, just requires some patience and thorough documentation.