Kathryn Jones — Founder, The Identity Vault

Kathryn built The Identity Vault to stop scams before they happen, not after. Updated April 2026.

You sit down to file your taxes. You enter your Social Security number, your income, your deductions — everything correct. You submit. And then you get a rejection notice telling you that a return has already been filed using your Social Security number for this tax year.

Someone else has already filed your taxes. And they took your refund.

This is tax identity theft, and it is one of the most financially disruptive scams that exists — not because the amounts are always enormous, but because it creates months of bureaucratic recovery work on top of the immediate financial hit.

Here is exactly what to do.

How You Find Out It Happened

Most people find out the same way: they try to file their own return and the IRS rejects it, saying a return has already been submitted under their SSN. Occasionally people receive an IRS notice about a return they did not file, or a notice about wages from an employer they did not work for — both signals that someone is using their SSN for financial purposes.

Less commonly, you might discover it through unexpected IRS correspondence about a refund you never received, or through a tax transcript that shows a filing you do not recognize.

What To Do in the First 48 Hours

Filing the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit

Form 14039 is two pages and straightforward. It asks for your identifying information, the nature of the identity theft, and how you discovered it. You can file it as a standalone document or attach it to your paper tax return.

File it by mail to the address on the form, or by fax to 855-807-5720. Keep a copy of everything you send. The IRS is required to acknowledge receipt and assign your case to an Identity Theft Victim Assistance team.

Getting Your IRS Identity Protection PIN

The IRS Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number that must be included when filing your return. Without it, the IRS will reject any electronic return filed under your SSN — which means a scammer who gets your SSN still cannot file a fraudulent return without this PIN.

Once you have been a victim of tax identity theft, you will automatically be enrolled in the IP PIN program. Going forward, you will receive a new PIN by mail each January before tax season.

If you have not been a victim but want this protection proactively — and you should — you can opt into the IP PIN program voluntarily at IRS.gov/ippin. This is one of the most underused identity protection tools available and it is completely free.

Do Not Forget Your State Return

If your federal return was filed fraudulently, your state return may have been too. Contact your state’s department of revenue directly and report the fraud. Most states have their own identity theft procedures that parallel the federal process. Acting on both simultaneously prevents the state issue from dragging out long after the federal case is resolved.

What Happens Next — The Timeline

After you file Form 14039 and your paper return, the IRS assigns your case to a specialized unit. They will investigate the fraudulent return, confirm your legitimate income and filing information, and eventually process your return and release your refund.

This process takes longer than a standard return — typically 6 to 18 months from the date you file Form 14039. You can check the status of your case by calling the IRS Identity Protection Unit at 1-800-908-4490.

Your refund will be paid once the case is resolved. If you are owed a refund, you will receive it — plus interest for the delay in many cases.

Preventing It From Happening Again

Enroll in the IRS IP PIN program every year going forward. File your return as early as possible — the fraudulent filing happens before you file, so the earlier you file, the smaller the window for a scammer to beat you to it. Monitor your SSN at AnnualCreditReport.com for signs of unauthorized financial activity.

And freeze your credit if you have not already. Tax identity theft and broader identity theft share the same root cause: your SSN is in criminal hands. A credit freeze does not stop the tax issue, but it stops the ten other things that same criminal can do with your SSN while you are dealing with the IRS.