IP PIN tool re-introduced

[Catherine]

The IRS announcement says:

The Internal Revenue Service announced that the “Get an IP PIN” tool has returned to IRS.gov with a stronger authentication process to help protect taxpayers.

The Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) is given to taxpayers who are confirmed identity theft victims and to certain taxpayers who opt into the program. The six-digit IP PIN adds an additional layer of protection for the Social Security number.

The re-launched tool uses a multi-factor authentication process that will help prevent automated attacks.

Taxpayers must verify their identities using a more rigorous Secure Access process that requires them to have immediate access to an email address, account information from a credit card or other loan types and a text-enabled mobile phone. New and returning users must follow the Secure Access steps outlined in Fact Sheet 2016-20, How to Register for Get Transcript Online Using New Authentication Process.

The Get Transcript Online tool was the first to use the Secure Access process, and the IRS continues to review its other online applications to determine which ones warrant the stronger verification process.

Use of the IP PIN tool is limited to pre-selected taxpayers. Approximately 2.7 million IP PIN holders receive their number through the mail late in the calendar year in advance of the 2017 filing season. Those taxpayers who lose their IP PIN may use the tool to retrieve their number. Taxpayers who may be victims of non-tax related identity theft and who submitted an affidavit to the IRS may opt into the IP PIN program and obtain an IP PIN through the tool. Taxpayers from Florida, Georgia and the District of Columbia also may obtain an IP PIN through the tool as part of a pilot project.

End of IRS announcement.

[SaraEA]

Click on the Fact sheet link above...this is a multi-multi-step process!  It should definitely thwart many crooks. (No prepaid phones--phone acct must be in your name.) On the other hand, they have lots of smart people working for them, lots of resources, lots of time. We can only hope that it prevents more id thieves from accessing taxpayer data than it does taxpayers.