When i tried to transmit my return it didn't go through. the error message is "duplicate social security number." the deadline has passed. can i still mail my return?

[Fast Eddie]

Please contact the IRS immediately.  Don't want to frighten you, but a duplicate SSN message may indicate someone has stolen your identity and has already filed a tax return under your name.  Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence these days with all the identity theft going on.   More info here:          

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/taxpayer-guide-to-identity-theft#:~:text=Tax%2Drelated%20identity%20the...

Good luck and I hope the issue is something less serious.  

[GiseleD]

@alexselly

This rejection occurs when a return with either your or your spouse's Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) has already been filed with the federal government.

This can happen if your spouse or another family member already filed your return for you. Other reasons for this rejection include:

• Your (or your spouse's) SSN or ITIN was entered incorrectly
• The same SSN or ITIN was used for both filers on a joint return
• Somebody filed a fraudulent return using your (or your spouse's) SSN or ITIN

You may have gotten e-file reject R0000-902-01 if you submitted your information to the IRS for a stimulus payment before filing your full 2019 tax return. This is because when you registered, you essentially filed a federal tax return that was designed for individuals with no filing requirement in order to provide information for the purpose of gaining their stimulus payment. Now that you’re filing your actual taxes, the IRS sees this as a duplicate and rejects this second return. Sign up here for help with this reject, and we’ll contact you when we have a solution.

Protecting your data and privacy is our #1 priority. If you believe you’ve been a victim of tax-related identity theft, contact us right away.

Solution

If you're sure nobody you know already filed your return for you, the next step is to review your entries in TurboTax to make sure there aren't any transposed or incorrect numbers:

1. Sign in to your account and enter your return.
2. Once you're on the Welcome back to TurboTax! screen, select My Info in the left menu.
3. On the Personal info summary screen, make sure the SSN or ITIN for the first person has been entered correctly.

• If it's wrong, select Edit to the right of your name to fix it, then Continue.
• Repeat this step for your spouse if needed.
• If all SSNs/ITINs were originally entered correctly, stop and see the What if my info is correct? section below.

1. Now select File from the left menu.
2. Follow the instructions (but don't select Fix my return if you see it, as you've already done that) and proceed with the refiling process.

What if my info is correct?

It's likely that somebody filed a fraudulent return using your information. Contact us right away for further assistance.

In addition, you won't be able to e-file because your or your spouse's SSN or ITIN has already been accepted. Instead, you'll need to print and file your return.

Helpful resources

• Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft (IRS)
• Identity Protection: Prevention, Detection and Victim Assistance (IRS)
• IdentityTheft.gov (FTC) 

The original article can be found here.