The most effective first steps are to create your own IRS Individual Online Account, use its multifactor authentication, protect the account with a unique password, and enroll in an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN). These controls address different risks. Account security helps keep criminals out of your IRS records; an IP PIN helps stop someone from filing a fraudulent federal income-tax return with your Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Neither measure prevents every form of identity theft, so you also need to recognize IRS impersonation, protect your personal information, and know what to do after suspicious activity.
Secure your IRS account before a scammer tries to use it
Set up and access the IRS Individual Online Account yourself through IRS.gov. After you verify your identity, the account lets you view tax-account information, check refunds and amended returns, obtain transcripts, and request an IP PIN. An unexpected caller or message offering to create the account for you is a warning sign: do not hand over your SSN, date of birth, account credentials, or identity documents so another person can register it.
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1. Create the account through the IRS
- Go to IRS.gov by typing the address yourself or using a bookmark you created, rather than clicking an unexpected message link.
- Choose the Individual Online Account sign-in or registration option and complete the IRS identity-verification process.
- Create the account personally. Do not allow a caller, tax preparer, disaster-relief solicitor, or anyone else who contacted you unexpectedly to do this on your behalf.
- Once signed in, review the account information, notices, refund status, amended-return status, and transcripts for activity you do not recognize.
The IRS announced on February 3, 2026, that account holders can use these functions in one place. Availability and screen labels can change, so follow the current instructions displayed in your account.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →2. Use multifactor authentication
The IRS says the Individual Online Account is protected with multifactor authentication (MFA). Complete the second verification step whenever the account requests it. MFA is designed to prevent a person who has obtained your password from signing in with the password alone. Never approve an authentication request that you did not initiate, and do not read a one-time code to an unsolicited caller.
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3. Use a unique, strong password
Choose a password that you do not use for email, banking, shopping, or any other service. A long passphrase with a mixture of words and additional characters is easier to manage than a short, predictable password. Do not use your SSN, birth date, address, spouse’s name, or a tax-related phrase. A password manager can generate and store a different password for each service. If you suspect compromise, change the IRS password immediately to a complex, unique password and change it anywhere else you reused it.
4. Keep devices and documents secure
- Install current operating-system and browser security updates.
- Use the firewall and reputable anti-spam and antivirus protections already available for your devices; the IRS presents these as general security hygiene, not as an endorsement of a particular product.
- Store tax returns, W-2s, 1099s, notices, and other papers containing an SSN or ITIN securely. Shred unneeded copies instead of putting them in ordinary trash.
- Provide an SSN or ITIN only when it is necessary, you initiated the contact, or you independently confirmed who is asking and why.
- Do not save IRS credentials in a browser or device that other people can use without a separate account and screen lock.
Understand what an IP PIN does—and what it does not do
An IP PIN is a six-digit number issued by the IRS. It changes every year and must be entered on covered federal income-tax returns, including amended and prior-year returns filed during that year. Its specific purpose is to help prevent a criminal from filing a federal return using your SSN or ITIN. It does not stop a thief from opening a credit account, taking over your email, stealing a state-tax refund, or misusing other personal information.
How the code is handled
- Share the current IP PIN only with the IRS and the tax-preparation provider filing your return.
- The IRS will never call, email, or text you to request your IP PIN. This is an IRS Tax Tip 2025-47 statement issued July 10, 2025.
- A tax professional cannot retrieve the PIN for you. You may give the PIN to your preparer so it can be entered on your return.
- Do not post the code, send it in response to an unsolicited message, or give it to a caller who claims to be from the IRS.
Choose an IP PIN enrollment route
The IRS describes three routes. The fastest route is the Online Account profile, but alternative procedures exist for people who cannot complete online identity validation. Income thresholds and procedures can change; check the current IRS IP PIN page before submitting anything.
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| Route | Who can use it | Identity verification and access | Timing and limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Account profile | Taxpayers who can create and use an IRS Individual Online Account | Online identity verification and sign-in with MFA | Fastest method. The FAQ describes continuous enrollment for this and future years, as well as a one-time enrollment that ends after the current calendar year. |
| Form 15227 | People unable to validate their identity online whose adjusted gross income is below the IRS FAQ thresholds: $84,000 for an individual or $168,000 for married filing jointly | Submit Form 15227 online and complete the IRS follow-up identity-verification process | Thresholds shown in the IRS FAQ updated January 8, 2026; confirm the current limits and processing instructions before filing. |
| Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment | People who cannot use Form 15227 or otherwise cannot complete the available remote process | Schedule an appointment and bring the identity-verification documents listed by the IRS | In-person availability varies. Follow the appointment and document instructions for your location. |
Enroll through your Online Account
- Sign in to your IRS Individual Online Account.
- Open the profile or account-settings area and select the IP PIN enrollment option.
- Read whether you are choosing continuous enrollment or a one-time enrollment for the current calendar year.
- Save the issued six-digit PIN in a secure password manager or other protected record. Do not store it in an unprotected note or send it to yourself through an unsecured channel.
- Give the current-year PIN to your tax preparer only when the return is being prepared and filed, and confirm that it appears correctly before submission.
Use Form 15227 when online verification is not possible
Check the current IRS FAQ first because the income limits and mechanics are changeable. The January 8, 2026 FAQ lists an adjusted-gross-income limit of $84,000 for individuals and $168,000 for married couples filing jointly. If you meet the applicable limit and cannot validate your identity online, submit Form 15227 using the method the IRS currently specifies and be prepared to complete its follow-up verification.
Schedule a Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment
If you are not eligible to use Form 15227, the IRS FAQ directs you to schedule a Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment. Bring the identity documents requested by the IRS. Do not mail identity documents to an address supplied by an unsolicited caller or message; use only instructions obtained from an authentic IRS page or notice.
Recognize an IRS impersonation scam
Scammers often use a plausible tax problem, refund, or deadline to push you into acting before you can verify the story. Treat the following combination as a stop signal:
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- Unexpected contact: an email, text, social-media message, or call you did not initiate.
- Urgency or threats: claims that you will be arrested, deported, sued, lose a refund, or face immediate penalties unless you act now.
- Promises of money: an unsolicited offer of a refund, credit, deduction, or disaster payment in exchange for information or a fee.
- Requests for sensitive data: an SSN, ITIN, date of birth, bank details, online-account password, MFA code, or IP PIN.
- Immediate-payment demands: instructions to pay by gift card, wire, cryptocurrency, cash courier, payment app, or another unusual method.
The IRS says it does not initiate contact by email or social media to request personal or financial information. An unexpected email claiming to be from the IRS and asking for those details is a scam. A real tax notice can arrive by mail, but you should verify it independently through your IRS account or the contact information on IRS.gov rather than relying on a number or link in the message.
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Avoid “account setup” traps
Some impersonators offer to create an IRS account for you, including during disaster-related scams. The IRS says taxpayers can create their own account. Never provide credentials, identity documents, or a verification code to someone who contacted you unexpectedly. Close the conversation and start from IRS.gov yourself.
Report a suspicious message or call
IRS-related email
Forward a suspicious IRS-related email to [email protected]. Do not click links or attachments before forwarding it. If you already clicked, do not enter additional information; close the page and follow the compromise steps below.
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Impersonation calls and schemes
Report IRS impersonation calls and other impersonation schemes to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The IRS lists 800-366-4484 and an online reporting form for these reports. Use the current contact details shown on the official IRS identity-protection guidance when you report, because phone numbers and forms can change.
If money or information was exposed
Stop interacting with the scammer. If you sent money or exposed bank or payment information, contact the relevant financial institution immediately and ask what account freezes, reversals, or replacement steps are available. Use the recovery process at IdentityTheft.gov for broader identity-theft actions, including checking credit reports and placing appropriate alerts or freezes.
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Do not assume that every unexpected tax notice proves identity theft. IRS account guidance notes that account problems can have other causes. Review your records and follow the instructions specific to the authentic notice while taking the protective steps below.
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- End the suspicious contact. Do not send additional money, documents, passwords, codes, or personal details. Block the sender or caller after preserving evidence.
- Secure the IRS account. Sign in through IRS.gov, change the password to a unique complex password, review recent account activity, and verify that contact and filing information has not been changed.
- Secure related accounts. Change any reused password, especially the email account that receives tax or financial messages. Turn on MFA wherever it is offered.
- Respond safely to authentic IRS notices. Read the notice carefully, use the IRS account to confirm that it exists, and meet the stated response deadline. Keep copies of letters, submissions, dates, and confirmation numbers.
- Report tax identity theft. Follow the IRS identity-theft reporting and recovery instructions. Request an IP PIN to reduce the risk of another fraudulent federal return.
- Run device security checks. If you opened a suspicious attachment or installed software at a scammer’s direction, disconnect the device from sensitive accounts as appropriate, update it, and run reputable antivirus software before signing in again.
- Contact affected institutions. Notify your bank, card issuer, lender, or payment service when financial data or funds were involved. Follow IdentityTheft.gov recovery instructions and monitor statements and credit reports for unfamiliar activity.
When an IRS letter such as CP01E arrives
Read every instruction on the notice. The IRS describes an IP PIN as an available added safeguard and may provide additional identity and credit-account steps on the notice page. Do not substitute advice from a caller or an online post for the notice’s specific response procedure.
Protect the information scammers target
Tax documents combine several data points that can be used for impersonation. Limit exposure rather than assuming a security tool will compensate for oversharing.
- Ask why an organization needs your SSN or ITIN, whether another identifier is acceptable, how it will be stored, and when it will be destroyed.
- Send tax documents through a secure portal when one is provided; avoid ordinary email attachments when possible.
- Review mailed IRS notices and account transcripts for returns, address changes, payment requests, or transcript orders you did not make.
- Use a private connection and a trusted device for tax-account access. Avoid entering credentials on a shared or public computer.
- Keep a record of when you enrolled in the IP PIN program and where the current code is stored, but never include the code in a public or easily accessible file.
A practical annual security routine
- Before tax preparation, sign in to your IRS Individual Online Account and inspect notices, transcripts, refund information, and account changes.
- Confirm that the current year’s IP PIN is available and provide it only to the preparer filing your return.
- Check that your email, phone, and financial-account passwords remain unique and protected with MFA.
- After filing, retain the return and confirmation securely and monitor the IRS account for unexpected amended returns, refund changes, or notices.
- Whenever a message creates pressure, stop and verify through IRS.gov instead of replying to the message.
Limits of these protections
An IRS Online Account, MFA, strong password, and IP PIN substantially improve protection of your federal tax records and federal-return filing, but they are not an all-purpose identity-theft shield. A criminal can still target your email, bank, state-tax account, employer records, or physical documents. Continue protecting your SSN and ITIN, keeping software updated, monitoring financial activity, and using IdentityTheft.gov recovery guidance when information is exposed.
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