If You’ve Been Targeted by a Tax Scam or Identity Theft. What to Do Right Now
Tax scams and identity theft can happen to anyone, and acting quickly makes a real difference in limiting the damage. If you believe you’ve been scammed or that someone has misused your personal or tax information, here’s what to do.
If you’ve lost money or shared personal information
- Stop all contact with the scammer immediately. Don’t send any more money or additional personal information, even if they pressure you or claim it will “fix” the problem.
- Call your bank or financial institution right away if any money or account information was involved.
- Go to IdentityTheft.gov and follow their step-by-step recovery plan — it’s the federal government’s central resource for identity theft recovery.
If your Social Security number or ITIN was stolen
- Report it at IdentityTheft.gov
- Report it directly to the IRS
- Consider also reporting it to your state tax agency
- Ask us about getting an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) — this prevents anyone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security number or ITIN
- Consider setting up an IRS online account, which is protected by multi-factor authentication and lets you monitor activity on your account directly
If someone already filed a tax return using your information
Don’t try to handle this alone — contact us. In general, you’ll need to file an Identity Theft Affidavit (IRS Form 14039) and paper-file your legitimate return. We can walk you through this and help make sure it’s done correctly the first time.
If you got a letter or notice from the IRS and you’re not sure it’s real
Don’t respond or provide any information yet. Send it to us first. We can confirm whether it’s a legitimate IRS notice before you do anything else — scammers frequently send fake letters designed to look official.
If someone used your information for something else
This includes situations where someone:
- Claimed your child or another dependent on their return
- Used your information to get a job
- Got an EIN in your name that you never requested
Each of these has a specific process to fix. Contact us and we’ll help you figure out the right steps for your situation.
If you think your tax preparer committed fraud using your information
Contact us immediately. This is a separate and serious issue, and we can help you report it properly.
If you followed bad tax advice and now have a return that needs fixing
This is fixable. We can help you amend a return or file a past-due return — reach out and we’ll take it from here.
If your spouse filed a joint return without your knowledge, or hid something on it
You may have options to limit or eliminate your responsibility for taxes owed because of your spouse’s actions — even on a joint return. This is a nuanced area, and the right option depends on your specific situation, so please talk to us before assuming you’re stuck with the full liability.
A word of caution
Unfortunately, some scam victims get targeted a second time — often by someone posing as a recovery service offering to “get your money back.” Be cautious of anyone who reaches out to you after a scam, especially if they ask for a fee or your personal information upfront.
The bottom line
If any of this applies to you, don’t wait and don’t try to sort it out on your own — reach out to our office. The sooner we’re involved, the more options are usually available to protect you and resolve the issue cleanly.
This alert is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice for any specific situation. Contact our office to discuss your particular circumstances.
