Tax Season 2025: Protect Yourself from Fraud with an Identity Protection PIN
A new year marks the start of another tax season, bringing with it the usual challenges of navigating the complex US tax code and avoiding scams. One particularly concerning scam involves fraudsters filing a tax return in your name to claim a refund. Many victims only realize they’ve been targeted when they attempt to file their own return, uncovering a complicated issue that can take weeks or even months to resolve.
The risk of tax-related identity theft is elevated this year due to a series of high-profile data breaches in 2024. Personal information, including Social Security numbers, has become more accessible on the dark web, providing fraudsters with the tools they need to exploit unsuspecting taxpayers. As tax season progresses, this vulnerability becomes a significant concern for individuals and businesses alike.
How the IRS’s Identity Protection PIN Can Help
To combat this type of fraud, the IRS offers a proactive solution: the Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN). This six-digit PIN acts as a layer of authentication to ensure that only your legitimate tax return is accepted. If a return is filed without the correct IP PIN, it will be rejected, preventing unauthorized filings in your name.
Initially, the IP PIN program was limited to victims of identity theft or those flagged by the IRS as high-risk individuals. However, the program has
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