The Internal Revenue Service has announced the expansion of its Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program. It will now be available to all taxpayers.
The announcement was made as part of the Security Summit effort, a partnership between the IRS, state tax industries, and representatives of the private-sector tax industry to combat identity theft, fraud, and related cybercrimes.
Taxpayers who are able to verify their identities will be eligible to receive a six-digit PIN to prevent others from filing fraudulent claims using their Social Security number starting in mid-January, 2021.
“When you have this special code, it prevents someone else from filing a tax return with your Social Security number,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “The fastest way to get an Identity Protection PIN is to use our online tool but remember you must pass a rigorous authentication process.”
The IP PIN was previously available to taxpayers who had filed an Identity Theft Affidavit.
In the announcement, the IRS also noted that taxpayers who opt into the program will need to obtain a new PIN every year, but that they would offer an opt-out feature in 2022.
