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CP01C notice: what it means and what to do
Got an IRS CP01C notice? Here is what it means, your deadline, what to check before you answer, and how to reply. Check your own letter free: it stays on your phone.
Check my CP01C notice freeWhat the IRS says this notice is about
We verified your identity theft claim and found no tax-related fraudulent activity. We placed an identity theft indicator on your tax account and will monitor it to help prevent future fraud.
What you need to do
- File your federal tax returns on time.
- Pay any tax you owe by the due date to avoid interest and penalties.
- View your payment options or set up a payment plan if you can’t pay in full.
What you need to know
- You can request an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) for added account protection by creating an account online.
- Learn how to protect yourself from identity theft and report it to law enforcement, credit bureaus, and financial institutions.
- Visit our Identity theft Central to learn more on reporting identity theft to law enforcement. You can also find information for protecting yourself, and keeping your personal information safe, including your children’s taxpayer identification numbers, identity documents, benefits, and other identity information.
Your deadline
Answer by the date printed on your notice. If there is no date, answer as soon as you can, and call the number on the notice if you need more time.
What to check before you answer
You may be able to remove the penalties
If you had no penalties in the 3 tax years before, filed all required returns, and paid or arranged to pay the tax, the IRS First-Time Abatement policy can remove failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties. You can ask in writing or by phone.
Cannot pay it all now? Ask for a payment plan
You can apply for a payment plan on irs.gov. Interest keeps running until the balance is paid, so pay what you can now.
Is this letter really from the IRS?
The IRS writes first by mail. A real letter shows a notice or letter number, your name and part of your tax ID number. The IRS does not ask for payment by gift card, crypto or wire transfer. If in doubt, sign in to your IRS online account, where many notices are listed.
Common questions
The indicator on your account doesn’t affect your ability to file your tax return, make payments, or get a refund Whenever your account has the identity theft indicator, you’ll need to use an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IPPIN) when you file your tax returns.
The indicator will stay on your account until you specifically request that we remove it.
You can contact us at 800-908-4490 for assistance with identity theft-related issues.
You can visit our Tools page or call the IRS help desk at 800-829-1040 .
You can find it by visiting:
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for consumer information and their online Privacy and Security .
- Social Security Administration (SSA) .
- Taxes. Security. Together for tips on keeping your personal, financial, and tax data safer.