The IRS has announced that it has temporarily suspended its online Identify Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) program to look at further strengthening security features of the tool.

The IP PIN online program allowed taxpayers, who had received such numbers and then lost or misplaced them, and certain other taxpayers, to retrieve IP PINs online. An IP PIN is a six-digit number assigned to taxpayers to help prevent the misuse of their Social Security Numbers (SSNs) on fraudulent income tax returns. Following the suspension of this system, taxpayers, who are IP PIN holders but who lost their CP01A letters containing an IP PIN, will need to call the IRS.

The IRS Statement on IP PIN is available at https://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Statement-on-IP-PIN .

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