# IRS and identity theft

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irs-and-identity-theft/748136>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 6, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irs-and-identity-theft/748136 "2016-03-06T19:16:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irs-and-identity-theft/748136/1 "2016-03-06T19:16:23Z")

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I just received a 5071C letter from the IRS confirming that someone had used my name and SS to request a refund. I have not yet filed my taxes so this was definitely some type of identity theft attempt. So good, it got stopped. But what are the bigger implications. Someone has my name and SS number. What other kinds of things should I do to vaccinate against other things they may do with this information?

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**Author:** ![pidgeon92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@pidgeon92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pidgeon92)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2016, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/irs-and-identity-theft/748136/2 "2016-03-06T19:23:17Z")

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Check your credit report:

> **[Annual Credit Report.com - Home Page](https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action)**
>
> ACR Home Page

There is good information here on additional steps to take:

> **[Identity theft basics - Annual Credit Report.com.](https://www.annualcreditreport.com/protectYourIdentity.action)**
>
> ACR Identity theft basics