The IRS issues tax identification numbers to employers to assist in tracking their revenues and tax rates. These numbers, known as Employer Identification Numbers, are very important to businesses as they function in a similar fashion to an individual’s Social Security number. If an EIN becomes compromised, severe damage could be done to the credit score and reputation of the business. It is possible to start a case to discover if your business tax ID number is in use by other companies or persons.

Visit the Internal Revenue Service website (IRS.gov) to obtain the information you need to contact your state's local IRS office.

Call or email your local office to request a case be opened to track activity filed under your EIN. They will verify your information to ensure you are the legal owner or contact of the business.

Provide the local IRS with all of the information you provided to the Secretary of State in your last annual filing. This includes operating members and business size statistics.

Fill out Form 3949-A on the Tax Fraud Center portion of the IRS website. Use this if you believe you know who has compromised your EIN.

Work with the federal and local officials to track down the perpetrators and correct any problems arising from this situation. They will inform you of what further work, if any, must be done.

Tip

Store your EIN information in a secure location and provide it only to those who have a specific and timely need.

Warning

Never provide your EIN for unrelated matters, such as business forums or marketing agencies. The wider the availability of your information becomes, the more likely it is to be compromised.