Letter from PTIN Center

[appelman]

Have any of you gotten letters from the PTIN Center that state:

"Your Social Security number was used as the paid preparer identification number on tax returns during the 2011 filing season?"

At least in my case, this is total nonsense! When you try to reach the callback number you are told:

"Due to high call volume, we are unable to answer your call at this time."

[veritas]

Somebody is getting letters

The IRS sent out 100 thousand letters to supposed preparers who are not in compliance with PTINs.

[ChEAr$]

That sure does sound suspicious, sort of like SOMEbody who maybe had a file copy from one of your previous clients was using your name and number to preparer returns.
And the scary part, for how many years?

[Ross]

I got the letter yesterday. I called this morning. She looked up my info and gave me an IRS Identity Theft Hotline: 1-800-908-4490. I've had a PTIN for several years and have not used my SS# on a return in several years.

I just called the Identity Theft Hotline. I was on hold for over 15 minutes. The gentleman said he was not aware of letter #4732. He put me on hold for a few more minutes. He said this is something new and they didn't receive any type of notice that these notices were going out. He apologized and gave me two more IRS #s to try. He could not tell me the taxpayer's name on the returns w/ my SS#.

[appelman]

Any luck?

Any luck with those additional numbers? Perhaps you could pass them along and save us the intermediate steps. I still haven't gotten through to the PTIN people!

[anu31402]

I think you need to get to the root of this quick especially if the SS# on the letter you received matched up with your correct number. Someone in far away Spain just blew-up about $1200 on my business credit card very recently. I was luck the credit card company gave me a refund. I quickly updated my security. People are very desperate right now. Please, do update us.

[joanmcq]

There is a post on Tax Almanac with the same subject. I got a PTIN right when they were offered, and my biz was very small at that point. Yes, anyone who got one of these letters seemingly in error, please keep us updated.

[geekgirldany]

Someone in far away Spain just blew-up about $1200 on my business credit card very recently. I was luck the credit card company gave me a refund.

I received a call yesterday about my business credit card. Only use it for business and that is for things like efax, box.net, etc. Fraud dept called. Someone had got my number and charged $400 for a plane ticket with middle eastern airlines. Very scary. I have no idea how they got it.

[appelman]

I don't really think the whole practitioner community is being hacked.

I put my money on an IRS goof-up. That may be why the call volume is so high!

[oceanlovin'ea]

very scary!!

This is all very scary to me! I have gotten several emails from people in the last few weeks that were not from them. The email comes from them but there is only a link in the body of the email.

Of course, I haven't opened any of them and have deleted them and then deleted again. I usually send it back to the person and tell them I just got this and did they send it to me.

We are being attacked from all sides now. The problem is that we are all so dependent on doing things on the internet and with credit.

Linda, EA

[Ross]

Here are the two numbers he gave me: 866-860-4259 (IRS Practitioner's Hotline) and 866-255-0654 (IRS e-file customer service). I have not called either yet.

[FEDUKE404]

Just your government at work...

I received the same letter (#4732) last week.

My SSN has been nowhere near a tax return for many years, and virtually every return I file has been efiled.

For now I am just going to assume this is another IRS "computer" foul-up. Especially since they had no trouble processing my PTIN payment last fall....

It should be noted that in the same letter (mine is dated July 7th) this intelligent statement also appears: "You need to obtain a PTIN now to retroactively be compliant for 2011."

FE

[appelman]

After several days of trying...

I finally got through to someone at the PTIN office, who told me to disregard the letter and not to worry. He speculated that someone had filed a return with an EIN that matched my Social. This seems highly improbable to me, especially on the massive scale on which it seems to be occurring. But he also doubted that the whole practitioner community was being hacked.

[taxea]

http://blogs.forbes.com/kellyphillipserb/2011/07/13/irs-targets-100000-tax-p

rofessionals-for-noncompliance/

good article on this issue

[appelman]

I don't see that it addresses the problem!

Specifically, why fully registered preparers, as well as non-preparers, are getting these letters.