Reposting this blog post due to the increase in identity theft since the pandemic began in early 2020.

Identity Protection (IP)

This service became available mid-January 2021. Information on the IRS Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN), a 6-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their Social Security number on fraudulent federal income tax returns. Anyone who has a Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) can verify their identity is eligible to enroll in the IP PIN program.     

The Consumer Sentinel Network, that is maintained by the Federal Trade Commission, tracks consumer fraud and identity theft complaints that are filed with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and private organizations. In 2019, 3.2 million identity theft and fraud reports were reported, 1.7 million were fraud related, approximately 651,000 were identity theft issues. In 2019, fraud cost consumers more than $1.9 billion. I listed a few links below from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Social Security on how to protect yourself if you are a victim of fraud or identity theft. Best to be prepared, know your rights and to act quickly to limit the damage.

Facts from the Internal Revenue Service on the IP PIN: https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/frequently-asked-questions-about-the-identity-protection-personal-identification-number-ip-pin