PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe most effective protection is layered: enroll in the IRS Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) program, secure your tax accounts and paper records, limit who receives your Social Security number, and know the recovery steps before a fraudulent return appears. An IP PIN is free, but it does not replace good account security or resolve an identity theft that has already happened.
Tax identity theft is a form of identity theft in which someone uses your Social Security number (SSN), Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), and related personal information to file for a refund or obtain employment. You may discover it only when your legitimate return is rejected or the IRS contacts you. The sequence below covers prevention and the separate response required after suspected theft.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What tax identity theft is and why ordinary precautions matter
The Federal Trade Commission describes tax identity theft as the misuse of personal information, particularly an SSN, to file a tax return and claim a refund or to get a job. A criminal does not need access to every financial account to cause a tax problem; a stolen SSN and enough identifying information can be sufficient to submit a return before you do.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Keep two goals separate. Prevention reduces the chance that a thief can file in your name. Recovery is the process of securing accounts, reporting the theft, and responding to IRS instructions after information or a return may already be compromised. An IP PIN is a forward-looking filing safeguard. Requesting one by itself does not cancel a fraudulent return, repair a compromised email account, or complete the IRS identity-theft process.
#1 Best Overall
The first practical warning can arrive when you try to file your own federal return and the IRS system indicates that a return using your identifying number has already been filed. Treat that event, an unexpected IRS notice, or a suspicious request for tax credentials as a security incident rather than as a routine filing delay.
Use an IRS IP PIN to add a filing-time identity check
An IRS IP PIN is a unique, six-digit number known to you and the IRS. It is free, available to people with an SSN or ITIN who can pass the IRS identity-verification process, and protects the taxpayer’s account even when the person is not required to file a return. A new number is generated each year.
When you participate, you must enter the current IP PIN on covered federal individual returns filed during that calendar year. That includes applicable prior-year and amended returns. The PIN is not entered on a state return and is not used on Form 4868, the federal application for an automatic extension of time to file. Consult the IRS’s current IP PIN frequently asked questions for the up-to-date list of covered forms before filing.
Who can request one
- Taxpayers with an SSN or ITIN can request an IP PIN if they successfully verify their identity.
- Enrollment is voluntary; the number is still useful for an eligible person who does not expect to file a return because it helps protect the IRS account.
- There is no fee. Be suspicious of anyone selling an IP PIN or asking you to disclose it to “activate” your account.
Request an IP PIN through an IRS Online Account
The IRS describes its Individual Online Account as the fastest and easiest enrollment route. It also provides tax-account activity information and uses multifactor authentication. To enroll:
- Go to the official IRS website and open the Individual Online Account sign-in page. Use a saved bookmark or type the address yourself rather than following an unsolicited link.
- Sign in and complete the identity-verification prompts. Do not continue if a page is asking for an IP PIN through an unexpected email, text, phone call, or social-media message.
- Choose the IP PIN enrollment option displayed in the account and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Retrieve and save the six-digit number shown for the current year. The IRS does not mail a new number every year to people who enroll online; you must return to the account to retrieve the annual number.
- Give the current PIN to your tax preparer only through a secure, established channel, and confirm that it is entered on each covered federal return filed during the calendar year.
Store the PIN in a password manager or another protected record, not in an unencrypted note attached to an email. The PIN is an authentication value for your return, not proof that someone claiming to be an IRS employee is legitimate.
Rank #2
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
If online identity verification does not work
The IRS provides other routes for some taxpayers. A taxpayer who cannot verify online may use Form 15227 when adjusted gross income is below the current published threshold: $84,000 for an individual or $168,000 for married filing jointly (IRS figures published for 2026). The IRS may call you after receiving the form to verify your identity, and the number is then mailed.
If your income is at or above the applicable threshold, or if online and telephone verification fail, the IRS describes requesting an appointment at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. Bring the identity documents the IRS tells you to bring and follow the appointment instructions. Thresholds and procedures can change, so check the current IRS IP PIN guidance before mailing Form 15227 or arranging a visit.
Use the annual PIN correctly
Each calendar year has a new IP PIN. Retrieve the new number before preparing a covered return, and check that the return software or preparer has the correct year’s value. If you file an eligible amended or prior-year federal return during the year, apply the current-year requirement described in the IRS FAQ. Do not put the IP PIN on a state return or on Form 4868.
If you lose the number, use the IRS Online Account’s retrieval process rather than requesting it from a caller or a message. Never send it in response to an unsolicited request.
Secure the accounts and devices that hold tax information
Turn on multifactor authentication
Enable multifactor authentication (MFA), sometimes called two-factor authentication, on your tax-preparation software account, email account used for tax matters, cloud storage, and financial accounts. The FTC specifically recommends two-factor authentication for tax-preparation software. Prefer an authenticator app or a hardware security key when available; keep recovery codes in a separate secure location.
Use a different, long password for each important account. If you have reused a password on a tax or email account, change it and change it anywhere else that password was used. A password manager can generate and store unique credentials without leaving them in a paper notebook or an unprotected document.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Keep computers and phones current
Install operating-system, browser, and tax-software security updates promptly. The IRS’s identity-protection guidance also recommends a firewall and reputable anti-spam and antivirus protections. Lock your phone and computer with a passcode, and avoid preparing or transmitting a return on a public computer.
Before entering tax information, verify that the web address is the official service you intended to use and that the connection is encrypted. Do not open attachments or click sign-in links in an unexpected message that claims to be from the IRS, a tax preparer, or a financial institution.
Monitor your IRS account
Create an IRS Individual Online Account and review tax-account activity periodically. The IRS says the account is protected with multifactor authentication. Monitoring can help you notice unfamiliar activity sooner, but neither an online account nor an IP PIN guarantees that identity theft cannot occur. Continue to protect your email, devices, and documents.
Protect paper records and your SSN
Store sensitive documents securely
Keep tax returns, wage statements, notices, and Social Security cards in a locked or otherwise secure place. The IRS advises not routinely carrying documents that display your SSN. Take a document out only when needed and return it to storage promptly.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Rank #4
Share your SSN or ITIN only when it is necessary, the recipient is known, and you initiated the contact or independently verified the request. Ask why the number is needed, how it will be protected, and whether a different identifier is acceptable. Do not provide it merely because a caller says an account will be closed or a refund will be cancelled.
Dispose of records deliberately
When you no longer need a tax record, shred it rather than placing it intact in household recycling or trash. A cross-cut shredder is one way to carry out the FTC’s recommendation; a community shred event is a no-purchase alternative. Shredding protects discarded paper, but it does not protect online accounts, so combine it with MFA and password hygiene.
Do not leave discarded envelopes, mailing labels, or photocopies containing an SSN in an unsecured bin. Review old digital scans and backups as well: delete unnecessary copies and protect the storage account with MFA.
Recognize IRS impersonation and IP PIN scams
The IRS says it does not initiate contact by email or social media to request personal or financial information. Unexpected messages that demand immediate payment, ask you to “confirm” an SSN, or direct you to a login page should be treated as potential phishing. Do not reply, click, open an attachment, or call a number supplied in the message. Instead, independently locate the IRS’s official contact and reporting instructions.
Recommended Free Tools
The IRS’s Tax Tip 2026-56, published July 16, 2026, states: The IRS will never call, email, text, or message a taxpayer through social media channels to request their IP PIN.
An IP PIN authenticates a covered return; it is not an IRS employee’s proof of identity. Do not read it to an unsolicited caller or type it into a link sent by text or email.
Best Value
- It can be a gift option
- Comes with secure packaging
- Helpful in various ways
Keep screenshots or copies of suspicious messages if you need to report them, but do not preserve them by forwarding the scam to other people. After recording the details, delete the message and block the sender.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do if your tax information may already be stolen
Act in this order. The objective is to stop further disclosure, secure your IRS access, follow the notice-specific process, and create a record of what happened.
- Stop interacting with the suspected thief. Do not negotiate, send additional documents, or use a phone number, link, or email address supplied by the person. Avoid opening attachments or clicking links associated with the incident.
- Change the IRS Online Account password. Change the password from the independently verified IRS website. If the same password was reused elsewhere, change those accounts too, beginning with the email account that can reset your tax credentials.
- Read every IRS letter or notice carefully. Follow the response method and deadline printed on the notice. Use official contact information rather than a number in a suspicious message. Keep the original letter.
- Report the identity theft. Use the reporting route described by the IRS for your situation. The IRS identity-theft guide may require information about the fraudulent filing or account activity; provide only what the official process requests.
- Use IdentityTheft.gov’s recovery plan. The FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov service provides a personalized recovery checklist and helps organize reports, account actions, and documentation after identity theft.
- Request an IP PIN. Enrollment can reduce the risk of a later fraudulent federal return, but it does not by itself resolve the existing incident. Continue the IRS notice and recovery process.
- Keep a complete incident file. Save IRS letters, copies of submitted forms, confirmation numbers, dates, names or identification numbers of officials, and notes from calls. Record what was sent and when.
If your email, tax software, or device may also be compromised, secure that account and device before using them to submit additional information. A clean, updated device and a newly secured email account reduce the chance that a password change is immediately captured again.
Choose the right action for your situation
| Situation | First action | What the action does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|---|
| You have no warning sign and want to reduce filing risk | Enroll in an IRS IP PIN and enable MFA on tax and email accounts | Adds a filing-time code and strengthens account access | Does not make devices, paper records, or phishing messages safe automatically |
| You cannot complete online IP PIN verification | Check Form 15227 eligibility or request a Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment | Provides an IRS-described alternative enrollment path | Does not bypass identity verification or guarantee immediate enrollment |
| Your return appears to have been filed by someone else or the IRS sent an identity-theft notice | Stop contact with the suspected thief, secure your account, and follow the notice | Starts the official recovery and correction process | Does not get resolved merely by requesting an IP PIN |
| You receive an unsolicited request for an IP PIN | Do not disclose it; preserve the message and report the impersonation through official IRS guidance | Prevents a scammer from obtaining your authentication value | Does not require you to call the number or reply to the sender |
Know exactly where an IP PIN applies
The IP PIN is for specified federal individual tax returns. It is not a universal identity number and is not entered on every tax form. Before submitting a return, verify three details:
- It is a federal individual return covered by the current IRS FAQ.
- You are using the IP PIN issued for the current calendar year, including when the filing is an applicable prior-year or amended return.
- You are not entering the number on a state return or Form 4868.
If a tax professional prepares your return, ask how the PIN will be transmitted and stored. Provide it through the preparer’s secure client portal or another established secure method, not an unsolicited request or ordinary public post.
A practical yearly protection routine
- Before tax preparation: sign in directly to the IRS Online Account, retrieve the current IP PIN, update tax-software and device security, and confirm MFA is enabled.
- While gathering documents: keep wage statements and prior returns in secure storage, limit who sees your SSN, and verify requests for information independently.
- Before submitting: confirm the return’s federal or state status, enter the IP PIN only where the IRS requires it, and review the preparer’s email address or secure portal.
- After filing: monitor IRS account activity, retain the filing confirmation and tax records, and treat unexpected IRS messages as potential impersonation until independently verified.
- When disposing of records: shred documents that are no longer needed or use a local shred event, and delete unsecured digital copies.
This routine addresses the main exposure points without confusing a prevention measure with a recovery remedy. If a theft warning appears, stop the routine and use the incident steps above, the IRS notice, and IdentityTheft.gov.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches
