How do I find out if someone used my SSN to file taxes?
Request for Identity Verification from the IRS
By Social Security Administration. http://1.usa.gov/1TRzTo2
If you think someone is using your number, review the earnings posted to your record on your Social Security Statement. To get your online Statement, go to my Social Security.
Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen personal information, including your Social Security number, to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. If you suspect you are a victim of identity theft, continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must file a paper return.
If you receive a notice from IRS, respond immediately. If you believe someone may have used your SSN fraudulently, please notify IRS immediately by responding to the name and number printed on the notice or letter. You will need to fill out the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit, Form 14039.
- Bills for items you did not buy.
- Debt collection calls for accounts you did not open.
- Information on your credit report for accounts you did not open.
- Denials of loan applications.
- Mail stops coming to, or is missing from, your mailbox.
You'll know that another person filed a tax return in your name if you try to file and the IRS rejects your return. The IRS will explain in the rejection that a return associated with your Social Security Number has already been filed.
Use IRS Form 14039 to alert the IRS that someone has filed a return using your identification. The IRS may send you a "Letter 5071C" asking that you verify your identity. You can respond via telephone or through the IRS' online Identity Verification Service.
You can also place what's known as a self-lock on your SSN through E-Verify® at www.e-verify.gov, a government service that employers use to confirm a job applicant's eligibility to work.
All confirmed tax-related identity theft victims will be placed into the Identity Protection PIN Program and annually be issued a new, six-digit IP PIN to prevent someone else from filing a return using their identity and it will be required to be used on all future filings.
Periodically check your credit reports.
Coming across suspicious activity on your credit reports, such as new accounts you don't recognize, is a quick way to identify potential fraud. You can get free copies of your credit reports from all three major credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com.
How much does it cost to change your Social Security number?
There is no charge for correcting your Social Security card or getting one for the first time.
- Proof of your identity, like a copy of your driver's license or other valid form of identification.
- A completed FTC Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov.
- A police report about the identity theft from your local police department.
Regularly check your credit report and bank statements.
Check for the warning signs of identity theft — such as strange charges on your bank statement or accounts you don't recognize. An identity theft protection service like Aura can monitor your credit and statements for you and alert you to any signs of fraud.
The best way to find out if someone has opened an account in your name is to pull your own credit reports to check. Note that you'll need to pull your credit reports from all three bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — to check for fraud since each report may have different information and reporting.
Because the IRS processes the first return it receives, if another person claims your dependent first, the IRS will reject your return. The IRS won't tell you who claimed your dependent. Usually, you can identify the possibilities and ask (commonly, a former spouse).
The IRS Whistleblower Office pays monetary awards to eligible individuals whose information is used by the IRS. The award percentage depends on several factors, but generally falls between 15 and 30 percent of the proceeds collected and attributable to the whistleblower's information.
If so, you need to know the IRS is prohibited from telling you who claimed your dependent(s). Due to federal privacy laws, the IRS can only disclose the return information if the victim's name and SSN are listed as either the primary or secondary taxpayer on the fraudulent return.
The IRS won't allow two different people to e-file using the same dependent Social Security number (SSN). The IRS will then send a letter to both of you to determine who gets to claim the exemption for the child. If you can't agree on who claims the child, the tie-breaker rules apply.
The losing party will then be liable for any additional taxes, penalties, and/or interest as a result of the false claim. Important: If you don't know who might have claimed your dependent, it could be a case of tax-related identity theft.
Most businesses will not open credit card or loan accounts without checking your credit history. You must contact each of the credit reporting agencies individually online or by postal mail. There is NO COST to place or lift a security freeze.
Can you change your SSN due to identity theft?
The Social Security Administration does allow you to change your number, but only under limited circ*mstances, such as identity theft or if your safety is in danger. You will also need to supply appropriate documentation to support your application for a new number.
If you lock your SSN, then later need to buy a new car or apply for employment with a company that requires a background check, you can unlock your number at any time. Use your Social Security account login to sign in to your myE-Verify account, and follow the prompts to unlock your Social Security number.
A typical case can take about 180 days to resolve, and the IRS is working to reduce that time period. While the identity theft cases are being worked, the IRS also reminds victims that they need to continue to file their tax returns during this period.
The IRS' Identity Theft Victim Assistance program had 294,138 individual case receipts during fiscal 2023, up from 92,631 in 2019, according to the National Taxpayer Advocate's annual report to Congress released last week. Tax-related identity theft has diminished since the early days of electronic filing.
You may also contact the IRS for specialized assistance at 800-908-4490. These IRS employees are available to answer questions about identity theft and resolve any tax account issues that resulted from identity theft.
