Received a Suspicious 1099-R Form - Possible Tax Info Leak?

This definitely sounds concerning, but try not to panic yet. A few things to consider: First, a 1099-R specifically reports distributions from pensions, retirement plans, profit-sharing programs, IRAs, or insurance contracts. Since you mentioned working three different jobs, is it possible one of them had some kind of retirement benefit that was cashed out when you left? Sometimes companies automatically cash out small 401(k) balances for departing employees. If you're confident this is fraudulent, you should take immediate action. Contact the company listed on the 1099-R using information you find independently (not from the form itself). Ask if they actually issued this form to you. You should also report this to the IRS by calling their Identity Theft hotline at 800-908-4490. They can flag your account and give you specific guidance. Additionally, file a report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and consider placing a fraud alert on your credit reports. Don't ignore this form - the IRS receives a copy and will expect to see it accounted for on your return. If it's fraudulent, you need to address it properly before filing.

I had a similar issue last year and found that taxr.ai at https://taxr.ai was super helpful with suspicious tax forms. I was getting totally conflicting advice about what to do with a sketchy 1099 form that showed up. The service analyzed my document and confirmed it was missing several security features that legitimate tax forms have. They showed me exactly what to look for on official IRS documents and helped me draft a proper response to both the IRS and the "company" that supposedly sent it. Saved me from making some serious mistakes in how I handled it. They have this document verification tool that spots issues most people would miss.

Just wanted to update everyone - I ended up trying taxr.ai after all and I'm actually really glad I did. They confirmed my suspicions that the form was fake by pointing out several inconsistencies in the document formatting that I would have never caught. The "employer EIN" failed verification and they showed me that the font was inconsistent with official IRS forms. They also provided a step-by-step guide for reporting it properly to the IRS and FTC. Much more helpful than the generic "call this number" advice I was getting elsewhere. I've now filed all the proper identity theft paperwork and have a case number from the IRS. Feeling much more confident about how to handle this on my tax return now!

If you need to actually speak with someone at the IRS about this (which I would recommend), use https://claimyr.com instead of wasting hours on hold. I used their service after discovering a similar issue with a fake 1099. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was incredibly frustrated trying to get through to the IRS identity theft department directly - kept getting disconnected after 45+ minute holds. Claimyr had an IRS agent call ME directly within about 90 minutes. The agent immediately placed a fraud alert on my tax account and gave me specific instructions on what documentation to submit with my return to explain the fake form.

Following up on my skepticism - I'm actually shocked this worked. I broke down and tried Claimyr for my amended return issue after a week of trying to call myself. Got a call from an IRS rep in about 2 hours who was able to actually see what was happening with my account. Turns out my amended return had been flagged for a manual review due to something similar to what OP is dealing with - a mismatch with a reported document. The agent was able to note in my file that I was disputing the validity of the mismatched form. She explained exactly what documentation I needed to submit and gave me a direct fax number to send it to for faster processing. Definitely worth it just for the peace of mind of speaking to someone official instead of stressing about whether I was handling it correctly.

Just an additional tip - take photos of the fake 1099-R from multiple angles and in good lighting before you do anything else. Also make sure to keep the envelope it came in if you still have it - the postmark and return address could be important evidence. When I had a similar situation, the IRS investigator specifically asked for these details. Also look for any watermarks or check the paper quality - real tax forms often have security features that fakes miss.

Has anyone else noticed a huge increase in these fake tax documents this year? I've seen like 5 posts about this in various groups I'm in. Seems like there was a data breach somewhere feeding all this identity theft.

This is really concerning, and you're right to be worried about identity theft. A few things to check immediately: 1. Verify the EIN (Employer Identification Number) on the form by searching the IRS EIN database or calling them directly 2. Check if "Meridian Benefits Solutions" is a real company through independent research (not contact info on the form itself) 3. Look at the technical details - legitimate 1099-Rs have specific formatting, fonts, and security features that fakes often miss Since you mentioned working three jobs, double-check if any of them had retirement benefits that might have been automatically cashed out when you left. Sometimes small 401(k) balances get distributed automatically. If it's definitely fake, file Form 14039 (Identity Theft Affidavit) with the IRS and report it to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov. Also consider freezing your credit reports with all three bureaus as a precaution. Don't ignore this on your tax return - the IRS will have received a copy and will expect it to be addressed. If fraudulent, you'll need to attach documentation explaining why you're not reporting the income. Better to be proactive than wait for an IRS notice about the discrepancy.