[NFB-DB] IRS ID.me Verification

Tue Feb 8 22:30:59 UTC 2022

I also want to say…there is a difference between being mad and abusive. Abusive would be yelling profanities and bad names at an individual customer service rep, for example. That is not ok. Being mad about inaccessibility is normal and effective. Although I usually always start with a polite request, especially for smaller companies, there is definitely a place for anger in advocacy. This is the IRS. They should have a much higher standard than some small mom and pop shop. Furthermore, they have been told of the issue and thus far haven’t taken clear action. So, some anger is justified here. In all of my experiences of advocacy, only a small amount of polite requests ever changed things. The vast majority of civil rights issues improved over the last couple of centuries because people got rightfully mad and put on the pressure. People only change when NOT changing is more of a burden to them than changing. Anger and pressure are tools that make change happen.

Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 8, 2022, at 11:07 AM, Stuart Salvador via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Maurice, Stuart here.
> 
> This verification requirement is a complete block to anyone Blind
> without sighted assistance to access the following information from
> the IRS:
> 
> https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/new-online-identity-verification-process-for-accessing-irs-self-help-tools
> 
> However, I learned that yesterday the IRS said so many people
> complained that they are "reconsidering" how this will be implemented
> now. While for now it has still not been taken down and I still can't
> access this, that means we have an additional window to advocate for
> this to
> be changed for the next tax season if advocacy gets on-board to stop
> it in the future. Since this affects all U.S. taxpayers and everyone
> needs to file taxes, I can't imagine there is a higher level of impact
> from any single private company issue by comparison.
> 
> EOM
> 
> 
> 
>> On Tue, Feb 8, 2022 at 12:17 PM maurice mines via NFB-DB
>> <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> good morning, if you're talking about the verification that Apple Inc.,
>> nothing to do with the national Federation of the blind. Sends out when
>> you request technical support from Apple. That verification comes up as
>> a box on all of your Apple devices that are signed into your Apple ID.
>> However you should know you do have first right of refusal meaning you
>> don't have to use it. However if you don't use it then you will need to
>> provide your product serial number and/or registration number to get
>> technical support. If this is some other verification those
>> verifications generally come from say for instance your financial
>> institution. In that case I would suggest getting in contact with your
>> financial institution and mentioning the fact that you are deaf blind.
>> I've done both of these things. And for the most part they seem to work
>> people seem to get it. This is why this year one of the national
>> Federation of the blind legislative priorities if the 21st-century web
>> accessibility proposal. Those of you that are involved in Washington
>> seminar activities might wish to talk with whoever is doing legislative
>> appointments in your state about this. However you should know that for
>> the most part I personally have not had a big issue with the
>> verifications except for with my financial institution. In that case I
>> constantly remind the financial institution ideal with, about the
>> accessibility barrier that exists.
>> 
>> 
>> When contacting any of these entities about these verification messages,
>> always be polite. I think outfits get turned off quickest if you're mad
>> and upset. Another suggestion is to find out who within a certain
>> company handles accessibility issues regarding their products and/or
>> their customer service offerings.
>> 
>> 
>> If this is extreme, then yes you might wish to contact the legal team at
>> the national office. But I would only do this if this is an extreme
>> access barrier. I hope that my comments, and advice on this issue are
>> helpful. I am just building on what Robert Stargell said over the weekend.
>> 
>> 
>> Please note that I am dictating this to the computer via dictation
>> software. There may in fact be some minor errors in the written text
>> above. If there's something that is written above that you truly don't
>> understand, please reach out to me and asked me what my original intent
>> was? I look forward to clearing up any misunderstandings that may have
>> arisen based on the above written text. Thank you very much for reading
>> this.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Maurice Mines, Board Member
>> National Federation of the Blind Deaf-Blind Division
>> Email: board4 at nfbdeaf-blind.org <mailto:board4 at nfbdeaf-blind.org>
>> Website: www.nfbdeaf-blind.org <http://www.nfbdeaf-blind.org>
>> Live the life you want.
>> The National Federation of the Blind Deaf-Blind Division, a proud division
>> of the National Federation of the Blind, is a community of members and
>> friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. Every
>> day
>> we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
>> 
>> 
>>> On 2/8/2022 7:37 AM, Leisa Gary via NFB-DB wrote:
>>> . Obviously this is a new access barrier for the IRS. Does anyone know the email address and or phone number in order to present access issues to the NFB at the national level? Is it something like access at nfb.org?
>>> 
>>> Thank you,Hello,
>>> 
>>> If this is the case, it is new since I left the service. Obviously this is a new access barrier for the IRS. Does anyone know the email address and or phone number in order to present access issues to the NFB at the national level? Is it something like access at nfb.org?
>>> 
>>> Thank you
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Leisa Sekhon
>>> 
>>>> On Feb 6, 2022, at 6:05 PM, Robert stigile via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Hi
>>>> They are using id meet to verify your identity and the only way to get through it is to have someone sighted to assist
>>>> 
>>>> Robert Stigile, Second Vice-President
>>>> National Federation of the Blind of California
>>>> President San Fernando Valley Chapter
>>>> 818-381-9568
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Feb 6, 2022, at 4:42 PM, Stuart Salvador via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hi Leisa, Stuart here. Thanks very much for your reply. I am not able
>>>>> to get through the online IRS system because of ID.me blocking me. My
>>>>> credit is excellent, but I don't have anything about credit checks on
>>>>> there. They want photos and videos of me. I cannot get through to IRS
>>>>> by phone at all: either hung up on or relay disconnects from too long
>>>>> of hold time.
>>>>> 
>>>>> EOM
>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On Sat, Feb 5, 2022 at 6:03 PM Leisa Gary via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>> Hello,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> I was an IRS customer representative. Are you not able to get through the online IRS system to get transcripts? I know that some people cannot do this based on not passing a credit check, but are you not able to get into the online system? Also, are you not able to get your transcripts after calling them?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Thank you,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Leisa Sekhon
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> On Feb 5, 2022, at 11:27 AM, Stuart Salvador via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>>> Hello fellow NFB-DB members, Stuart here.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Have any of you been able to get through ID.me verification to access
>>>>>>> any services with the IRS? ID.me requires photos with very specific
>>>>>>> parameters or video of your face again with specific instructions as
>>>>>>> to what your face needs to do. The instructions are not accessible to
>>>>>>> JAWS in Windows 10 or VoiceOver on iOS 15, and it's not realistic my
>>>>>>> residual vision to do this right so it's a barrier to access. I don't
>>>>>>> know what anyone else's experiences may have been with ID.me. If
>>>>>>> you've encountered any problems, please let me know as I plan to write
>>>>>>> my representatives and senators this upcoming week. When I do, I want
>>>>>>> to include as many stakeholders and issues as possible so they know
>>>>>>> this is not OK to restrict IRS services needed to do taxes. My
>>>>>>> particular issue was in getting an online transcript which I use every
>>>>>>> year to file taxes because many of my tax forms like 1099 come in tiny
>>>>>>> print and no option that is accessible to me so this helps me get all
>>>>>>> my numbers and accounts right. I can't certify under penalty of
>>>>>>> perjury my tax return filing is 100% correct and accurate based on
>>>>>>> what others tell me my tax reports say due to limits on my
>>>>>>> understanding and
>>>>>>> possibility of human error. That is a burden to place on my loved ones
>>>>>>> in the event something was entered incorrectly, so the online
>>>>>>> transcript allows me to know how to file correctly and is critical for
>>>>>>> me to maintain that independence as you cannot defer legal liability
>>>>>>> if there were to be a mistake when you file no matter how much you pay
>>>>>>> tax professionals it's always back to you unless a simply calculation
>>>>>>> error is covered by their contract and things like that (yet that only
>>>>>>> reimburses you for any financial losses, it doesn't remove the federal
>>>>>>> liability you have the taxes are correct). Thanks very much for any
>>>>>>> feedback or assistance, and for anyone else that does (or knows how
>>>>>>> best to) advocate on this topic, too.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> EOM
>>>>>>> 
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