Someone Filed a Fraudulent Tax Return Using My SSN - What Now?

I'm really sorry this happened to you. Tax identity theft is unfortunately becoming more common, and you've already taken the correct first steps by obtaining an IP PIN and filing Form 14039. Here's what you can generally expect: Once you mail in your paper return with the IP PIN and Form 14039, the IRS will begin their investigation. The timeline varies, but typical identity theft cases take about 120-180 days to resolve. This doesn't mean you'll wait that long for your refund though - they often release legitimate refunds before the full investigation concludes. The good news is that the IP PIN you received will protect you in future years. It's a six-digit number that changes annually, and the IRS will mail you a new one each December/January. When you file next year, you'll include this PIN, which prevents anyone else from successfully filing with your SSN. For additional protection, consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus, and file a report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov if you haven't already.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which really helped me navigate through the mess. After my return was rejected, I was completely lost trying to figure out all the forms and processes. Their system analyzed my documents, explained what forms I needed, and gave me step-by-step guidance. The best part was they helped me understand what documentation to gather for the fastest resolution. They have this document analysis tool that highlighted exactly what I needed to focus on in all those confusing IRS notices. Saved me hours of research and probably weeks of processing time.

Just wanted to follow up and say I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. Honestly way more helpful than I expected! It analyzed my rejection notice and explained everything in plain English instead of IRS-speak. Had me upload my ID documents and showed exactly what parts of Form 14039 needed special attention in my case. The document review feature saved me when I almost sent in my forms with a missing signature (which would have delayed everything even more). Already got confirmation from the IRS that my case is being processed, which is further than I got in 3 weeks of trying on my own. Definitely recommend for anyone dealing with this nightmare.

When my wife and I dealt with this last year, we spent WEEKS trying to get someone at the IRS on the phone. Always busy signals or disconnects after waiting for hours. Finally found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and they got us connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was able to confirm someone had filed a fraudulent return, place a flag on our account, and give us specific instructions for our situation. Saved us so much frustration compared to the endless hold music and disconnects. They even told us about some documentation we didn't know we needed to include with our paper return.

I have to eat my words and apologize to Profile 12. After being completely skeptical, I tried Claimyr out of desperation last week. After MONTHS of trying to reach the IRS about my identity theft case with no success, they got me connected to an agent in about 35 minutes (slightly longer than promised, but still miraculous). The agent pulled up my file, confirmed they had received my paper return and Form 14039, and explained exactly what was happening with my case. They also told me they could expedite the review since it had been over 45 days. Most importantly, they updated my address (which I'd moved from) to make sure my IP PIN would arrive at the right place for next year. For anyone dealing with tax identity theft - don't waste weeks like I did trying to call yourself. I learned my lesson about being closed-minded to solutions that sound too good to be true!

I had this happen in 2022 and again in 2023 despite having an IP PIN. Here's my advice from painful experience: 1. Get all your documents to the IRS as quickly as possible, certified mail with tracking 2. Contact your state tax agency too - fraudsters often file state returns as well 3. File a police report - some insurance companies require this for identity theft coverage 4. Check ALL your credit reports for other suspicious activity 5. Consider filing early every year going forward (I start preparing in January) It took about 5 months to get my refund the first time, but only 8 weeks the second time since I already had an established identity theft case. The IP PIN system works well MOST of the time, but occasionally there are still issues.

Something similar happened to my brother and he found out the fraudster was actually his roommate who had accessed his tax documents from mail he'd left on the kitchen counter! Might be worth thinking about who had access to your personal info recently. Could be someone closer than you think.

This is such a frustrating situation, and I feel for you! I went through something similar two years ago. A few additional tips that helped me: 1. Keep detailed records of EVERYTHING - dates, times, confirmation numbers, who you spoke with. This becomes crucial if there are any delays or complications. 2. Consider requesting a tax transcript once your case is resolved to see exactly what the fraudulent return looked like. It might give you clues about where your info was compromised. 3. Don't forget to check if the fraudster also filed a state return - many people focus only on federal but miss that their state refund might also be tied up. 4. If you have direct deposit set up, make sure those bank account details are still secure. Sometimes fraudsters will try to change banking info for future refunds. The silver lining is that once you get through this mess, having an IP PIN actually makes tax filing more secure going forward. I now get my new PIN in December and file as early as possible in January. Haven't had issues since then. Hang in there - it will get resolved!