Steps to Take When a Taxpayer Becomes a Victim of Identity Theft
- File a police report.
- File an FTC complaint at www.ftc.gov and learn how to respond to it at identitytheft.gov.
- Contact one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on the taxpayer’s credit records:

- Equifax, www.Equifax.com, 1-800-525-6285
- Experian, www.Experian.com, 1-888-397-3742
- TransUnion, www.TransUnion.com, 1-800-680-7289

- Contact the taxpayer’s financial institutions and close any accounts opened without the taxpayer’s permission, or accounts that have been tampered with.

It the taxpayer’s Social Security number is compromised and the taxpayer knows or suspects he or she is a victim of tax-related identity theft, take these additional steps:
- Respond immediately to any IRS notice and call the number provided.
- Complete IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. Use a fillable form at www.irs.gov, print, then mail or fax according to the instructions on the form.
- Continue to pay taxes and file tax returns, even if paying and filing returns must be done by paper filing.

If the taxpayer previously contacted the IRS and did not have a resolution, contact the Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490.