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Check your IRS account and transcripts
A transcript is the primary IRS record to compare with the federal return you signed or approved. Sign in to your IRS online account, open the available tax records, and review the relevant tax year for a return or other activity you do not recognize. The IRS explains how to get and use a transcript to verify information it processed.
An unfamiliar entry is a reason to investigate, not conclusive proof that another person filed a return. If the account does not resolve your concern, use the IRS process that matches how you learned of the possible filing.
Choose the next step based on what happened
You received an IRS identity-verification notice
Read the notice and follow its specific instructions. A CP5071-series notice or Letter 5447C may direct you to verify your identity and the return through the IRS return-verification service. Use that service only for the notice types the IRS identifies, and keep the notice with you while completing the process. If the return was not yours, say so during verification.
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After you complete the specified verification process, the IRS says you do not need to submit Form 14039 unless it instructs you to. If the notice directs you elsewhere, use the contact details printed on it rather than assuming a general procedure applies.
Your e-filed return was rejected because your SSN was already used
An e-file rejection can indicate that a return using your SSN or ITIN was already accepted, but it does not by itself establish who filed it or why the conflict occurred. Follow the IRS identity-theft steps for a rejected return. If you cannot e-file, the IRS says to submit a paper return and complete Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, as directed.
Do not send duplicate Form 14039 affidavits for the same incident; the IRS warns that duplicates can delay resolution. Follow the form’s current submission instructions.
You find unfamiliar activity but have no notice or rejection
Use your transcript and account records to identify what you do not recognize. For help with a tax-account identity-theft issue, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490, or use the phone number on an IRS notice. The IRS lists Form 14039 as a way for an actual or potential victim to ask it to mark an account; use the current form instructions to decide whether and how to submit it.
Request information about a fraudulent return
If you need to see the return accepted using your name and SSN, the IRS provides a way to request a masked transcript. Use your IRS online account or Form 4506-F according to the IRS instructions. A masked transcript is not necessarily an unredacted copy.
This request is subject to eligibility and privacy limits: a person listed only as a dependent cannot receive the return information through this process. The victim must be listed as the primary or secondary taxpayer on the return.
Get an IP PIN to help prevent future misuse
An IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) is a unique six-digit number that helps the IRS verify a taxpayer filing a federal return and helps prevent someone else from using that taxpayer’s SSN or ITIN on a fraudulent return. Eligible taxpayers can request one after identity verification. The IRS issues a new number each year, so anyone who opts in must retrieve the new PIN annually. See the IRS IP PIN information and request options.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Federal and state tax steps are separate
These instructions concern federal returns and IRS processes. If you suspect identity theft involving a state tax return, check with your state tax agency for its reporting and account-protection steps.
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