Is Voksha allowed to collect Social Security numbers or EINs over the phone?

For Accounting Firms

Voksha can be configured to ask for an EIN or SSN, but for this industry the strong recommendation is not to. The qualifying questions that matter for tax-season screening, entity type, estimated revenue, business complexity, whether the caller is a new or returning client, do not require a Social Security number or EIN to be useful. Collecting sensitive identifiers verbally over a phone call, whether by a human receptionist or an AI system, creates the same underlying risk: the information passes through a phone system and gets logged somewhere, which is exactly the kind of taxpayer data exposure that IRS Publication 4557 and your firm's WISP are designed to minimize. Most firms configure Voksha to capture name, phone number, email, business type, and general revenue range, then direct anything involving actual identification numbers, prior-year figures, or financial account details to a secure client portal (SmartVector, ShareFile, or your practice management platform's built-in portal) once the client relationship is established. This mirrors how a well-run front desk already operates, a receptionist taking a new-client call does not ask for an SSN on the spot either, that information gets collected securely after the engagement letter is signed. If your firm has a specific reason to capture a PTIN, prior preparer's name, or similar non-sensitive identifier during intake, that can be added to the qualifying script, but Social Security numbers, EINs used for identity verification rather than general entity classification, and bank details should be kept off the phone intake entirely regardless of who or what is answering the call.