IRS letter help
Got an Identity Verification Letter From the SCDOR? What to Do
South Carolina sometimes pauses a return and asks you to confirm you filed it before releasing a refund. It is a fraud check, and answering it is usually quick, as long as you go to the SCDOR’s own site to do it.
Reviewed by LaToya Clark-Thompson, FounderLast updated
What this letter is
The SCDOR may send an identity verification notice while processing an individual income tax return. It asks you to confirm that you, and not someone using your information, filed it. The refund generally waits until you do. The letter directs you to one of two routes on the SCDOR’s site: an Identity Verification Quiz or Individual Code Verification, both reached through MyDORWAY at addresses such as dor.sc.gov/VerifyID or dor.sc.gov/VerifyCode.
The federal equivalent is the IRS Letter 5071C, and some filers receive both in the same season.
Why you got it
Refund fraud with stolen identities is common, and state revenue departments screen returns for signs of it: a new address, a new bank account, a first return, a change in income pattern, or simply random selection. Being selected does not mean anything is wrong with your return. If you did not file a South Carolina return, though, this letter may be the first sign someone else filed in your name.
What to do now
- Check that the letter looks like a genuine SCDOR notice: a title, a notice number, your name and address, its purpose, and contact information
- Do not use a phone number, link or QR code from an email or text. Type dor.sc.gov into your browser yourself and go to the verification page the letter names
- Have the letter, its Letter ID and your Social Security number ready, along with a copy of the return you filed
- Complete the quiz or code verification exactly as instructed, by the date on the letter
- If you did not file the return, say so through the same process, and report identity theft through MyDORWAY
What happens if you ignore it
The return generally stays on hold and the refund is not issued. If the SCDOR cannot confirm your identity, it may treat the return as not filed by you, which means a real return could need to be refiled and the refund delayed much longer.
How we help
If we prepared your return, we can confirm the figures the quiz may ask about and check that the return on file matches ours. If the letter looks suspicious, send us a photo before you do anything and we will tell you whether it is consistent with what the SCDOR sends. Our tax preparation clients get this check as part of the return. If the SCDOR later says you owe, see SCDOR balance due.
If someone filed in your name, we help you prepare and file your real federal and South Carolina returns and document the identity theft. If the matter turns into a dispute with the SCDOR, the independent licensed CPA we work with handles it, with our office coordinating. See is this IRS letter real? for the scam signs.
What to send us
- Every page of the SCDOR letter, front and back, through the secure client portal (never by email or text)
- The South Carolina return the letter refers to
- Any IRS identity letter you received for the same year
- If you did not file, any notice from the IRS or the SCDOR that mentions a return you do not recognize
Frequently asked questions
Is the SCDOR identity verification letter a scam?
Real SCDOR identity letters exist and are common in filing season. A genuine one shows a title, notice number, your name and address, its purpose and contact information, and sends you to dor.sc.gov. Scams tend to arrive by text or email, ask for payment, or use a link that is not dor.sc.gov. If you have any doubt, type dor.sc.gov in yourself.
What do I need to complete the SCDOR identity quiz?
The Letter ID printed on your notice, your Social Security number, and a copy of the South Carolina return you filed, since questions may relate to figures on it. Follow the instructions in the letter for which route it wants, the Identity Verification Quiz or Individual Code Verification.
How long after verifying will I get my South Carolina refund?
The SCDOR resumes processing once it confirms your identity, but it does not promise a set time, and any other issue on the return can add delay. You can check your refund status on the SCDOR’s site. If a long time passes with no change, the contact information on the notice is the next step.
What if I never filed the South Carolina return the letter mentions?
Then someone may have filed using your identity. Do not complete the quiz as if the return were yours. Follow the letter’s instructions for reporting that you did not file, report identity theft through MyDORWAY, and check whether the IRS has received a return in your name too. File your real return as normal.
Not the question you had? The full tax FAQ covers more ground, and our client reviews say what the work is actually like.
Related pages
Letter 5071C
The IRS is holding a return until you confirm it is yours. Verify only through the letter’s own instructions.
Learn moreIs this IRS letter real?
How the IRS really contacts you, what it never does, and how to check a letter safely.
Learn moreSCDOR balance due notice
South Carolina shows tax owed. Check it, then pay, set up a Payment Plan Agreement, or dispute it.
Learn moreLetter 4883C
The IRS is holding a return until you verify it by phone. Call only the number on the letter.
Learn morePart of IRS & SC Letter Help. Not sure which service fits? Answer a few questions.
Tell us what you need
Send a short note about your situation and we’ll come back to you with a straight answer — whether that’s a quote, a next step, or a referral if it isn’t something we handle.
Prefer to talk it through first? Book a consultation and we’ll find a time, in the Easley office or virtually.
Send us the letter. We will tell you what it means.
Call (864) 781-4035 or book a consultation, in the Easley office or virtually.