IRS Identity Verification: What to Do If You Receive a Letter

Receiving an IRS identity verification letter in the mail might come as a surprise, but this is a common procedure designed to protect you from identity theft and ensure your tax return is accurate. 

Whether you’re filing for the first time or a longtime taxpayer, here’s what you need to know about the IRS ID verification letter and how to handle the next steps.

Why do I need to verify my identity for the IRS?

One of the most frequent scams is when thieves use a person’s name and Social Security number to file a fraudulent return and steal a tax refund. That’s why the IRS monitors tax returns for signs of fraudulent activity.

When the IRS suspects a return is fraudulent, they’ll request identity verification from the person whose name and address is listed on the return — that’s when you’ll receive Form 5071C or 5747C in the mail.

About IRS verification letters

It may be jarring to receive a 5071C Letter or 5747C Letter from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) alerting you of potential identity theft.

This letter alerts you that the IRS received a tax return with your name and Social Security number, but they suspect it may not be yours. It asks you to take steps to verify your identity and confirm if the return is actually yours.

How do I comply with verification?

There are two ways to reach the IRS regarding ID verification: 

1. Online 

Visit the IRS Identity Verification Service website.

2. By phone 

You can call the toll-free number listed on your 5071C/5747C letter

This verification system should only be used if you received a 5071C/5747C letter. 

Please note, however, that the letters are only sent to you through U.S. mail. YOU ARE NEVER ALERTED BY EMAIL OR PHONE. 

Contacting the IRS over the phone can be difficult. They receive many calls, so if you do have to contact them about one of the letters above, it may be easier to use the secure online system.

Remember that the phone number in your letter can be used only for verification purposes and not for other tax issues.

What will you need to verify your identity?

To verify your identity, you’ll want to have the following information on hand: 

• Your prior year’s tax return
• Your current year’s tax return
• All supporting forms and schedules
• Your SSN and date of birth for all those listed on the returns
• A copy of the 5071C or 5747C letter

What to do if you didn’t file a tax return

If you received this letter but you didn’t file a tax return, you need to notify the IRS as soon as possible by calling the Taxpayer Protection Program hotline on your letter.

The IRS won’t be able to process your tax return, and you won’t receive your refund until you respond to the IRS verification letter.

Common challenges with the IRS verification process

The IRS makes it relatively easy to verify your identity online after receiving a 5071C or 5747C letter, but there are some potential challenges you may run into during the verification process.

There are two ways you can verify your identity online: a self-service option or a live video chat with an ID.me agent. If you use the ID.me video chat option, you don’t need any biometric data to verify your identity.

If you verify your identity through the self-service tool, you need to provide a photo of your government ID and a selfie. That means a lost or stolen ID can prevent you from verifying your identity with the IRS.

Technical difficulties can also be an obstacle when you’re responding to the IRS identity verification letter. If you can’t access your IRS account or the website isn’t working at the moment, you have to wait to verify your identity.

In some cases, you may receive a message that says, “A condition has been identified that’s preventing your access to this service.”

If you receive Error Code 6001, confirm the name you used to register matches your legal name as reported to the Social Security Administration office and try again. If you receive a message with Error Code 6000, there is a security issue preventing you from using the online verification service.

Taxpayers who can’t verify online can call the toll-free number to verify. However, you’ll need your IRS verification letter, your tax return, any previous tax returns, and any W-2s or 1099s you used to file your return.

If you run into issues with the ID.me verification option, you can submit a support ticket through the ID.me IRS help site. 

What happens after you finish the verification process?

If the verification proves you are the person named on the tax return, your tax return will be processed. It takes about 6 weeks to complete processing after successful verification.

The return will be rejected and investigated as identity theft/tax fraud if:

• Verification fails to confirm your identity or that you filed the return
• If the verification process isn’t completed or can’t be completed

Be sure to respond to all requests mailed to you from the IRS asking you to validate your identity in order to avoid rejection of what could be a valid tax return.

Ensuring your privacy and security with IRS identity verification

The IRS asks you to verify your identity to ensure you’re protected from fraud. If you’re concerned about responding to a request for IRS identity verification online, you have nothing to worry about.

ID.me is a credential service provider certified to meet federal standards, which means they’re required to store your information. However, ID.me uses strong encryption to protect your data from prying eyes.

Not only is ID.me trusted by the IRS, but it’s also used by other government agencies to verify the identity of users. As a trusted credential service provider, ID.me is committed to protecting its users’ data.

Verifying your identity online is actually one of the best ways to protect your identity. If somebody else filed a fraudulent tax return in your name, the IRS can flag that return and help you get your tax refund.