If I entered my drivers license info before filing, why is the IRS wanting to verify my identity?

[GabbyKitty]

I am 99.9% sure I put in my and my husband's drivers license info before e-filing our taxes for 2022 on April 14, 2023. I thought that was supposed to assure the IRS that it was me filing my taxes. Today, I received a LTR 5071C letting me know someone had filed a tax return using my name and my social security number and that if it was me who filed the return, I needed to verify my identity. After spending an hour, including a video call, getting my identity verified with ID.me, I went to the IRS website and spent 2 minutes putting in the information they wanted in order to verify it was I who filed the tax return under my name and social security number.

I thought the step of putting in your drivers license before e-filing (TurboTax desktop version) was supposed to avoid having to verify identity after the return is e-filed. Maybe I didn't load our drivers license info this year? How can I find out whether I did or not?

[xmasbaby0]

Sorry---entering your drivers license did not help you avoid an IRS request to verify your identity.  

Sometimes the IRS chooses returns randomly to request verification of identity and sometimes there is something on the return that triggers the request.  No matter why the IRS has required you to verify your identity, you need to follow their instructions in order to receive your refund.  If you do not verify your identity you will not get your refund.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/security/tips-for-handling-identity-verification-requests-from-...

https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-verification-for-irs-letter-recipients

[GabbyKitty]

Per my post, I have already completed the identity verification. And, I'm not getting a refund.

[xmasbaby0]

Only the IRS can explain why they required you to verify your identity---it seems that the letter they sent to you said they had another return using the same SSN so they had to check into it.  Entering your DL to e-file  would not have prevented that.   

[fanfare · Accepted solution]

driver's license is used by your resident State, not the IRS.

It helps, but it is not necessarily sufficient.

@GabbyKitty 

[GabbyKitty]

Thank you. TurboTax's instructions are misleading then but your response definitely explains things. And, for me, putting in the license info is a waste of time since I don't do a state return.

[GabbyKitty]

The letter said there was a return filed under my name and my SSN and they wanted to know whether I was the person who filed it. No indication of fraud, just a "Was it really you?" question it seems. 

[Upbeatorange]

Did you do this with or without a verification letter? 

[CatinaT1]

Here is an FAQ about handling identity verification requests from the IRS.

If you have not received a letter yet, you will be.