IRS REPORTS A DATE ERROR ON THE RECENT IDENTITY PROTECTION PIN LETTERS

Each year the IRS issues special filing numbers that take the place of Social Security Numbers (SSN) for taxpayers whose identity has been compromised or is suspected of being compromised.

The purpose is to prevent ID thieves from being able to use stolen SSNs to file fraudulent returns. The IRS blocks those SSNs from being filed, thus thwarting the ability of ID thieves to use the stolen SSN to file. Meanwhile, the taxpayer uses the special six-digit number called the “identity protection pin number” (IP PIN) to file his or her legitimate return.

The IRS issues these numbers just before the beginning of tax filing season to affected taxpayers for use in filing their tax returns. The IRS just recently issued the IP PINs for filing 2015 tax year returns. However, the letter mistakenly indicated the IP PINs were for the 2014 tax year, which was a typo. The just-released numbers issued on form letter CP01A are in fact to be used to file 2015 tax returns.