It’s Identity Theft Day!

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It’s April 15, 2025, the day I call Identity Theft Day. In America, you may call it the tax deadline, but for me, in addition to being the date that w
[See the full post at: It’s Identity Theft Day!]

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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katiedid, jburk07, lmacri

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A PIN should be mandatory for such an important function as filing your tax return (it is in other countries). 2FA is a good thing.

cheers, Paul

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Identity Theft Day? Does that mean I need to go steal someone’s identity to celebrate?

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I think it’s steal your own ID back.

cheers, Paul

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The full post on this topic included “Yes, you will need to look for this piece of paper mailed to you in early January or log into your online IRS account to obtain it each year.”

Depending on how an individual obtains an IPPIN there may not be an annual mailing.

Refer to https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin which contains (highlights added):

So creating an account with the IRS and annually obtaining a new IPPIN online seems to me to provide the highest level of protection available.

 

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As a person who has had their refund stolen last year, GET THE PIN. There are some hoops to jump through to prove you are you, but it is easier than filing a claim with the IRS. The wait to review the case when I filed last May was over 600 days. Don’t expect to see it that soon.

 

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SueW, EricB

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Anything that can be done to avoid dealing with the IRS is a step in the right direction!  One year IRS made a mistake processing my return and refunded an improperly calculated and understated amount.  It took MONTHS to get the problem corrected and to receive the amount due to me.  During that time IRS even suggested that I should file an amended return even though my return was correct as filed and they were the ones that made the mistake!

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The topic is identity theft so a bit off, but regarding the IRS, they are making big errors!
The end of last month, my mother received what seemed a proper letter from the IRS about a tax refund check they received and want any adjustments for on a 2021 tax refund check in the amount of $21,200,000!!

What can she say but she knows nothing of this and a major error has occurred– Is it a genuine mistake or a scammer using a person’s name now living abroad?
She just hopes her name isn’t flagged to affect her SS payments. It was very creepy and we’re wondering if they send a reply to explain. Can not say it is a scam so she wrote them to find the rightful owner of the refund check…

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Registration  to set up an account is described as simple and quick. No way.

I have tried to do so and met continued fustrations and… The process is complex enough for those of us familiar with computers and electronic technology. It will problably be even worse for the older adults that are disabled, infirmed, unacquainted with modern tech, have transportation issues, etc. As so often the case, these procedures are apparently devised by those who have never confronted the issues that some of us, described as “senior citizens”, face daily. This is not a rant; it is experience speaking.

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Paul T

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What is the difference between the 5-digit pin that TurboTax requires for e-filing and the 6-digit IRS pin?

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See my post about the difference at https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/so-your-identity-has-been-stolen-again/#post-2707137

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280park

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