What Should I Do If I Receive Someone Else’s Information From the IRS?

If you receive information from the IRS that doesn’t belong to you, this is known as an inadvertent unauthorized disclosure.

Examples include other taxpayer information sent to you by mistake or information belonging to another taxpayer included with your tax information. This could be information you received by mail, e-mail, fax or transmitted via electronic transmission.

The first thing you should do is notify the IRS. Call the number on the notice or letter and inform the IRS that you received tax information belonging to another taxpayer.

If the information received by the IRS was mailed to you, they will inform you to reseal the envelope and write “Not at this address” and “Return to Sender” on the envelope and place it in the mail.

If for some reason this can’t be done because the information was received by fax, email or via electronic means, then you must destroy it.

It’s important that you notify the IRS of the inadvertent unauthorized disclosure before destroying the information. The IRS will need you to provide information about the disclosure and will provide instructions on what your next steps will be.

IRS Resources: 

• IRS privacy policy | Internal Revenue Service 
• IRS privacy guidance about email contact | Internal Revenue Service 
• Privacy, Governmental Liaison and Disclosure at-a-glance | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov)