Should I give my tax IP-PIN to a new employer? Red flag or normal request?

This is 100% a scam. An IP-PIN is your Identity Protection Personal Identification Number issued by the IRS to protect you from tax-related identity theft. NO legitimate employer would ever need this information. The IRS is crystal clear that you should never share your IP-PIN with anyone except your tax preparer at the time you're filing your taxes. An employer would never need this to set up payroll - they use your SSN and tax withholding information from your W-4 form. What they're trying to do is get enough of your personal information to file a fraudulent tax return in your name, likely to steal your refund. The fact that they're asking you to create an ID.me account and then share the verification is another huge red flag - they're trying to gain access to your IRS account. Run away from this "opportunity" and report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.

I had something similar happen to me last year and found out https://taxr.ai could help verify if communications were legit. I was getting emails that looked like they were from the IRS but something felt off. I uploaded the email and taxr.ai instantly flagged it as a scam attempt. Their system can analyze documents for red flags that point to tax fraud or identity theft attempts. They also have this feature that can verify if tax-related requests are legitimate based on IRS rules and regulations. In your case, they would immediately confirm that no employer should ever ask for your IP-PIN - that's a huge red flag.

I was totally skeptical about using a service to check for tax scams when I replied above, but I'm here to admit I was wrong. After getting a suspicious email claiming to be from the "IRS Refund Department" (already a red flag), I decided to try https://taxr.ai just to see if it was worth it. I uploaded the email and within minutes got a detailed breakdown of why it was a scam - including pointing out specific language patterns that real IRS communications never use. The system even highlighted how the scammer was trying to create urgency to manipulate me into responding quickly. What impressed me most was how it explained exactly what information the scammer was trying to get and what they could do with it. Definitely more comprehensive than just googling generic advice. Saved me from a potentially huge headache!

If you're dealing with potential tax identity theft or need to verify if something's a scam, sometimes you need to talk directly to the IRS. I tried calling them for weeks when I suspected someone filed a return using my info. IMPOSSIBLE to get through - always "call volume too high" messages. Then I found https://claimyr.com and watched their demo at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They basically wait on hold with the IRS for you, then call you when an agent is about to pick up. I was skeptical but desperate after trying for 3 weeks to get through. It actually worked! I got connected to an IRS agent who confirmed someone had tried to file using my info and helped me get an IP-PIN (which is exactly what these scammers are trying to get from you). The agent also confirmed that no legitimate employer would ever ask for your IP-PIN during hiring.

I have to come back and eat my words. After being totally skeptical about Claimyr in my comment above, my tax situation got desperate when I received a CP2000 notice giving me 30 days to respond. I couldn't get through to the IRS no matter how many times I called. Reluctantly tried https://claimyr.com and within 2 hours I was actually talking to a real IRS agent! They didn't need any of my personal info except my phone number to call me back when an agent was ready. The IRS agent confirmed my notice was legitimate and gave me options for responding that I couldn't find anywhere online. For anyone wondering - the agent also confirmed that employers should NEVER ask for your IP-PIN. That's strictly between you, your tax preparer, and the IRS when you file your return. So the original post is definitely describing a scam.

My sister almost fell for the exact same scam last month! These scammers are getting more sophisticated by asking for the IP-PIN instead of directly asking for your SSN. They're looking for people who don't know what an IP-PIN actually is or what it's used for. Once they have your IP-PIN along with your other personal info, they can file a fraudulent tax return in your name before you do. Then they'll have your refund sent to their account. By the time you go to file your legitimate return, the IRS will reject it saying you've already filed. The fact that they're offering such a high hourly rate ($32/hr plus $45/hr overtime) for a remote job requiring minimal interview process is another huge red flag. Classic too-good-to-be-true situation.

The job offer itself has tons of red flags beyond just asking for your IP-PIN: 1. Only 3 days of emails before job offer? No video interview? 2. Suspiciously high pay ($32/hr plus $45 overtime) for a job with flexible hours 3. Promising equipment before even properly verifying your identity 4. Vague job description with no clear responsibilities 5. No company website or online presence This follows the exact pattern of work-from-home scams I've seen before. They hook you with great pay and flexibility, then try to steal your identity or run check fraud schemes. Some will even send fake checks for "equipment purchases" then ask you to send money back, only for their check to bounce later.