Tax Identity Theft and IP PINs
Rates and standards last checked against IRS.gov: November 6, 2026
Tax-related identity theft happens when someone uses your Social Security number to file a return or claim a refund. This guide covers the warning signs, how to answer an IRS verification letter, and how to lock your number with an IP PIN.
Quick answer
What do I do if someone filed a tax return with my SSN?
Follow the instructions in any IRS letter, using the IRS verification service or the number on the letter. Report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov, file Form 14039 only if the IRS tells you to, and get an IP PIN so no one can file with your number again.
Who this applies to: Anyone who gets an unexpected IRS identity letter, sees wages they didn't earn, has a dependent claimed by someone else, or was in a data breach.
What can change this answer
- Most people don't need Form 14039.
- An IP PIN lasts one calendar year.
- Keep filing and paying tax as usual.
Recommended next step
Sign in to your IRS online account, change your password, and request an IP PIN in your profile.
Reviewed by Joseph Lancaster, 13+ years in tax resolution.
Key facts
| Item | Fact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What an IP PIN is | A six-digit number that stops anyone else from filing with your SSN or ITIN | IRS: Get an Identity Protection PIN |
| Who can get one | Anyone with an SSN or ITIN who can verify their identity | IRS: Get an Identity Protection PIN |
| How long it lasts | One calendar year; a new IP PIN is issued each year | IRS: Get an Identity Protection PIN |
| Fastest way to get one | The IRS app or your IRS online account | IRS: Get an Identity Protection PIN |
| If you can't verify online | Form 15227 if your AGI is below $84,000 ($168,000 married filing jointly) | IRS: Get an Identity Protection PIN |
| Form 14039 affidavit | Only if the IRS tells you to, or you can't use the verification service | IRS: Identity theft guide for individuals |
Compiled November 10, 2026 from the linked primary sources.
Warning signs of tax identity theft
- An IRS letter asks you to verify your identity or a return you don't recognize
- Your Social Security account shows wages you didn't earn
- Someone else claimed your dependent on their return
- You get alerts about IRS online account log-ins or password resets you didn't make
- A data breach exposed your Social Security number
None of these proves your identity was stolen, but each one is worth checking. Scammers also pose as the IRS; see our guide to tax relief scams for how to tell a real contact from a fake one.
If you got a letter asking you to verify your identity
The IRS holds some returns until the filer proves who they are. If your letter tells you to, use the Identity and Tax Return Verification Service on IRS.gov. If you can't sign in, call the number on the letter.
Once you verify your return, you don't need to file Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, unless the IRS tells you to. If you didn't file the return in question, follow the letter's instructions to tell the IRS.
The IRS will never ask for your IP PIN
How to get an IP PIN
- Fastest: request one in the IRS app or your IRS online account, in the IP PIN section of your profile
- Can't verify online: file Form 15227 if your AGI is below $84,000 ($168,000 married filing jointly); the IRS calls to verify you and mails the PIN, usually within 4 to 6 weeks
- In person: make an appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center with two forms of ID; the PIN usually arrives by mail within 3 weeks
- Under 18: you must use the Form 15227 or in-person option
Enter the six-digit PIN when your tax software asks for it. It's used on Forms 1040, 1040-NR, 1040-PR, 1040-SR and 1040-SS, including prior-year returns you file during the year. A missing or wrong IP PIN gets an e-filed return rejected and delays a paper return.
If you opted in online, you have to retrieve your new PIN from the app or your account each year; it isn't mailed. The IRS says it's generally available there from mid-January through mid-November.
What identity theft means for a tax balance
Identity theft doesn't pause your own obligations. The IRS says to keep filing your returns and paying your tax as usual while the theft is sorted out. If your real refund was held up or applied to a debt, see our refund offset guide. If you owe a balance you can't pay in full, an IRS payment plan is usually the next step.
What to do if you think someone used your SSN on a tax return
Work through these in order. Keep a record of every letter, call and email.
- If you got an IRS letter asking you to verify your identity, use the Identity and Tax Return Verification Service or call the number on the letter.
- Stop responding to anyone who contacted you about your taxes by phone, text or email. The IRS never asks for your IP PIN.
- Change your IRS online account password to a complex, unique one.
- Report the theft and follow the recovery steps on IdentityTheft.gov.
- File Form 14039 only if the IRS tells you to, or you can't use the verification service.
- Request an IP PIN so no one else can file with your number next year.
- Keep filing your returns and paying your tax as usual, and check with your state tax agency.
Frequently asked questions
What is an IP PIN?
An Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number known only to you and the IRS. It stops anyone else from filing a federal return with your Social Security number or ITIN. It's valid for one calendar year, and a new one is issued each year.
Who can get an IP PIN?
Anyone with an SSN or ITIN who can verify their identity, even if you aren't required to file a return. Parents and legal guardians can also request one for dependents.
I got an IRS letter asking me to verify my identity. Is it real?
The IRS does send letters asking you to verify your identity and your return before it processes it. Use the Identity and Tax Return Verification Service on IRS.gov, or call the number on the letter. Don't use a phone number or link from an unexpected call, text or email.
Do I need to file Form 14039?
Most people don't. Don't file it if you already verified your return through the IRS verification service or already reported through IdentityTheft.gov. File it only if the IRS tells you to, or you can't use the verification service.
What if someone else claimed my dependent?
You can still claim them. If you can't e-file, file a paper return with supporting documents. The IRS says processing takes 6 to 8 weeks before it looks into the claim, and any refund will be delayed.
Does identity theft change what I owe the IRS?
It doesn't pause your own filing or payment obligations. The IRS says to keep filing returns and paying tax as usual while the theft is resolved, so a real balance can still need a payment plan.
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