The IRS Wants to Verify Your Identity—Wait, Is This a Scam?

What happens when you get a letter from the Internal Revenue Service? 

  1. Panic
  2. Skepticism that it’s a phishing scam
  3. A little of each

Some clients have recently received IRS Letter 5071C, which seeks to confirm the identity of the taxpayer.  These have been issued in as little as two weeks after a taxpayer has electronically filed an individual income tax return. 

First off, don’t ignore the letter---it’s not fake.  The IRS has some indication that a confirmation of the taxpayer’s identity is required.  It does not mean that the taxpayer’s identity has been stolen.  However, be certain to deal with this inquiry in a timely manner.  If identity theft has occurred, it’s best to begin to mitigate the damage as soon as possible.

The taxpayer can complete the verification process by calling the IRS, using the number on the 5071C letter or by logging on to the IRS Identity Verification Service website at:

https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-verification-for-irs-letter-recipients

Unfortunately, we, as your tax advisors, cannot complete this verification on your behalf.  We may assist you and be a part of the telephone conversation, but, you (the taxpayer who received the letter) will still need to be part of this process.

Information that should be gathered prior to placing the phone call or logging on to the IRS website, includes the following:  

  1. The 5071C letter and the tax return referenced in the letter (generally an individual Form 1040)
  2. The prior year’s submission of that same type of tax return
  3. Supporting documents that were used to complete the tax return in question (e.g., Forms W-2, 1099DIV, etc.)
  4. Other identifying information (e.g., account numbers from a personal credit card, loan, etc.)
  5. Cell phone number associated with your name

If the IRS cannot verify your identity to its satisfaction, an in-person appointment at your local office may be required.

Once the IRS has confirmed the taxpayer’s identity, the return in question will be processed.  Note, however, that refunds will be delayed due to these additional steps.

One final word on IRS notifications—remember that the IRS will never call, text or email taxpayers asking for information, payments, bank info, etc.  If you or anyone you know receives this type of communication, do not give out your personal information.  This is not a legitimate means of IRS communication. 

As always, your Schneider Downs advisors are available to help you with this type of situation.

You’ve heard our thoughts… We’d like to hear yours

The Schneider Downs Our Thoughts On blog exists to create a dialogue on issues that are important to organizations and individuals. While we enjoy sharing our ideas and insights, we’re especially interested in what you may have to say. If you have a question or a comment about this article – or any article from the Our Thoughts On blog – we hope you’ll share it with us. After all, a dialogue is an exchange of ideas, and we’d like to hear from you. Email us at [email protected].

Material discussed is meant for informational purposes only, and it is not to be construed as investment, tax, or legal advice. Please note that individual situations can vary. Therefore, this information should be relied upon when coordinated with individual professional advice.

© 2024 Schneider Downs. All rights-reserved. All content on this site is property of Schneider Downs unless otherwise noted and should not be used without written permission.

our thoughts on
Not-for-Profit, Tax BY Sarah Piot
Not-For-Profit Tax Credit Opportunities Included in the Inflation Reduction Act
Tax BY Taylor Mahan
E-Filing for Form 990-T and Form 1120-POL Temporarily Unavailable
Building Innovation: Navigating the Terrain of R&D Tax Credits for Real Estate Developers
Tax BY Kirk Mitchell
Proposed American Families and Workers Act of 2024 Legislation – Status Update
Tax BY Kirk Mitchell
Corporate Transparency Act Held Unconstitutional – Higher Courts Will Likely Have an Opinion
PA Tax Credit Aggregation
Register to receive our weekly newsletter with our most recent columns and insights.
Have a question? Ask us!

We’d love to hear from you. Drop us a note, and we’ll respond to you as quickly as possible.

Ask us
contact us
Pittsburgh

This site uses cookies to ensure that we give you the best user experience. Cookies assist in navigation, analyzing traffic and in our marketing efforts as described in our Privacy Policy.

×