Identity Protection PINs

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IRS acknowledges an error in letters sent with Identity Protection PINs

 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has just announced that taxpayers will be receiving Identity Protection Personal Identity Number (IP PIN) letters with a mistake. The IP PIN helps the IRS verify a taxpayer’s identity and accept their electronic or paper tax return. When you have an IP PIN, it prevents someone else from filing a tax return with your SSN.

The notice on the CP01A incorrectly indicates the IP PIN issued is to be used for filing the 2014 tax return when the number is supposed to be used for the 2015 tax return.

Thankfully this issue shouldn’t affect anything else involving the IP PIN Process.

 

More information about the CP01A:

CP01A (https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Understanding-Your-CP01A-Notice)

Security Awareness for Taxpayers

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As tax season will be underway the tax scams are picking up.

Here are a few things you can do in order to protect yourself from these scams according to the IRS.

 

Note that the IRS will never:

 

1) Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.

2) Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

3) Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.

4) Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

5) Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.

 

If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:

 

1) Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.

2) Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.

3) Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.

 

 

 

More information:

Security Summit Identity Theft Tips Overview
Tax Scams

 

IRS websites:

https://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts
https://www.irs.gov/uac/IRS-Urges-Public-to-Stay-Alert-for-Scam-Phone-Calls