The IRS reminds taxpayers they can get extra protection starting in January by joining the agency's Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) program. The IP PIN is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number on fraudulent federal income tax returns. The IRS has made recent changes to the program to make it easier for more taxpayers to join.

All Tax Payers are now eligible to voluntarily get an Identity Protection PIN that will help protect you from tax-related identity theft. The IP PIN is a 6-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers. It helps prevent identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns with stolen Social Security numbers (SSNs). An IP PIN helps the IRS verify taxpayers’ identities and accept their electronic or paper tax returns for processing.