What should I do if someone else uses my name and address to obtain an EIN?

Forum|Forum|2 years ago
January 13, 2024
1 reply
7 views

I have never applied for an EIN, nor have I authorized anyone to apply for an EIN on my behalf. However, I recently received correspondence indicating that an EIN has been assigned to me.

From what I understand, a friend of mine hired a third-party company to apply for an EIN on her behalf. This company asked her for two address, and she provided both my address and hers to the company. Due to their communication error, this company mistakenly used my name and my previous address for the application.

I have always taken proper care of my SSN, and I believe it has not been compromised. Neither my friend nor the third-party company is aware of my SSN, and I believe the third-party company use someone else's SSN as a third-party designee in this application.

Shall I submit Form 14039-B to IRS, or just write a letter to them to cancel the EIN? Does anyone know what kind of consequences this mistake could bring for me?

Thank you!

Not A Product Question

Bsch4477

Level 15

If you determine your identity has been misused and an EIN has been improperly assigned to you. Consider filing a Form 14039-B, Business Identity Theft AffidavitPDF or contact us for specialized assistance, toll-free

steamed_fishAuthor

Level 2

Thank you for the reply, I believe the EIN was mistakenly assigned to me. My name and address were used incorrectly, but my SSN is safe and has not been misused.

In such a case, should I also submit Form 14039-B? After submission, will the IRS deactivate the corresponding EIN? In fact, there is no company in existence that has the same name as the entity registered with the EIN, it's my personal name.

Opus 17

Level 15

An EIN cannot be issued by the IRS without it being linked to the name and SSN of someone as the “responsible party.“ I suppose it is possible that your address has been linked to your friends name without your SSN being linked to your friends account, but there’s no way to know for sure without contacting the IRS. You can try calling the toll-free number and asking for assistance, but if you don’t get a satisfactory answer, I would file the form, because you want to get it straightened out as soon as possible.