Take steps to limit damage and protect yourself from further loss if you lost money or personal information to a scammer. On this page Protect your finances Protect your tax information Take action on specific scams or fraud Report the scam Stay alert Get support Protect your finances If you’re a victim of monetary or identity theft: Immediately stop interacting with the scammer Don’t send money or share personal information Contact your financial institution Follow the steps on IdentityTheft.gov Protect your tax information Get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) to prevent scammers from filing a tax return in your name. Set up an IRS tax account. Your account is securely protected with multifactor authentication. Nobody can view your account unless you authorize them. You can monitor your tax account activity anytime. If your identity was stolen If your Social Security number (SSN) or individual tax identification number (ITIN) was stolen: Report it to IdentityTheft.gov Report it to us Consider reporting it to your state tax agency Learn more about tax-related identity theft. Take action on specific scams or fraud If you received a notice from the IRS Make sure it's really from us Follow the instructions in the letter. Keep records of all contacts and copies of any letters you send. File your tax return and pay any taxes you owe. If your return is rejected because someone already filed with your Social Security number (SSN) or individual tax identification number (ITIN), report it to us. If these steps don't resolve your situation, call 800-908-4490, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. ET If someone used your information to: File a tax return – Get a copy of the return and submit Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit online or mail Form 14039 PDF Claim your dependent – Find out what to do when someone fraudulently claims your dependent Get a job or income – Find more about employment-related identity theft Get an employer identification number (EIN) – Find out what to do if you’re assigned an EIN you did not request If your tax return preparer committed fraud with your information Report a tax preparer to us. If you followed bad tax advice You can amend your return or file a past due return. If your spouse filed a fraudulent return without your knowledge If your spouse understated or underpaid taxes on your joint tax return without you knowing, you can file for: Innocent spouse relief Separation of liability relief Equitable relief If you're a veteran, servicemember, family member or caregiver Find information on scams that target veterans, servicemembers and their families or caregivers at VSAFE. Report the scam Report a tax scam. Stay alert Some scam victims get scammed again. Be cautious if someone offers to help you get your money back. Get support We can help you if you’re a tax scam or fraud victim: Learn how IRS identity theft victim assistance works. Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service. They’re an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers and protects their rights. Related Recognize tax scams and frauds Tax scams Choose a tax return preparer Penalty relief Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime: Help for victims Commodity Futures Trading Commission: 6 Steps to take after discovering fraud Federal Trade Commission: What to do if you were scammed
