Identity theft

Overview

Identity theft is someone else using your information for an unlawful purpose. They may use your:

  • Name
  • Social security number (SSN)
  • Credit card number
  • Employment information

Identity theft can affect your tax records if someone else reports wages using your SSN or uses it to obtain a fraudulent tax refund.

How to recognize identity theft

You may discover tax-related identity theft in one or more of the following ways:

  • You owe for a tax year and did not file a tax return
  • We rejected your tax return when you attempted to electronically file because:
    • Your SSN is being used by multiple taxpayers
    • We have multiple tax returns on file
  • You receive a refund you were not expecting
  • A third party breached your confidential information

Report identity theft

What you'll need:

  • Your name and address
  • Your filing status
  • Your spouse's or registered domestic partner's name (if applicable)
  • Date your return was filed (or attempted)
  • How you became aware you are a victim of ID theft
  • Your driver's license number
  • Your SSN (optional)

You can report ID Theft:

Online
Report ID theft
Phone
916-845-7088
Weekdays, 7 AM to 5 PM

Report any recent or potential tax-related identity theft by mail or fax. Include your Identity Theft Affidavit (FTB 3552) when reporting.

Mail
Filing Compliance Bureau MS F151
Franchise Tax Board
PO Box 1468
Sacramento CA 95812-1468
Fax
916-843-0561

What happens next

If you report to us that you may be a victim of identity theft, we’ll:

  • Send you a confirmation letter
  • Monitor your account
  • Manually review any tax returns
    • We may request additional information
  • Fix any errors on your tax account due to fraud

Report identity theft to other agencies

Government agencies

Credit agencies

You can request your free annual credit report online or by calling 877-322-8228.

Last updated: 06/22/2026