Taxpayers Reminded of Identity Protection PINs' Importance, IR-2023-134

The IRS has reminded taxpayers about the IRS Identity Protection PIN opt in program to help protect people against tax-related identity theft. “The Identity Protection (IP) PIN is the number one security tool currently available to taxpayers from the IRS,” the independent IRS advisory group said in its annual report to Congress. “This tool is the key to making it more difficult for criminals to file false tax returns in the name of the taxpayer. In our view, the benefits of increased IP PIN use are many.”The IRS has urged taxpayers to protect themselves through the IP PIN program as, IP PINs provide an extra layer of security for taxpayers filing their tax returns by serving as a critical defense against identity thieves. More than 8 million taxpayers have already taken the steps to obtain an IP PIN. Taxpayers can get an IP PIN through the IRS online tool.

Tax professionals who experience a data theft can assist clients by urging them to quickly obtain an IP PIN. Even if a thief already had filed a fraudulent return, an IP PIN would still offer protections for later years and prevent taxpayers from being repeat victims of tax-related identity theft. Tax professionals were urged to let their clients know that IP PINs are now available to anyone who can verify their identity. A step by step walk-through on how to register for certain online self help tools is available on the IRS website. For further assistance taxpayers can call the IRS to make an appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center.