The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is cautioning taxpayers about a new scam targeting individuals through deceptive mailings. The scam falsely claims that recipients are owed a tax refund, attempting to trick them into divulging personal information.
The fraudulent letter arrives in a cardboard envelope via delivery service and features a counterfeit IRS masthead. It purports to relate to an “unclaimed refund” and provides contact details that are unrelated to the IRS, mirroring common characteristics of scam correspondence.
The letter employs poorly worded requests, such as demanding “A Clear Phone of Your Driver’s License That Clearly Displays All Four (4) Angles, Taken in a Place with Good Lighting,” as well as the recipient’s phone number, social security number, bank routing information, and bank account type. A subsequent warning urges recipients to provide the information to a supposed filing agent, emphasizing the necessity of submission to obtain the promised refund.
The IRS warns that divulging such personal information exposes individuals to the risk of identity theft, as scammers can exploit it for nefarious purposes.
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel emphasizes the persistent threat of identity thieves masquerading as the IRS, seeking to deceive people into surrendering sensitive personal information, including tax refunds. He underscores the importance of remaining vigilant for telltale signs of IRS scams, whether received via email, text, or special mailings.
Red flags indicating a potential scam include irregular use of punctuation, inconsistent fonts, and inaccuracies such as incorrect filing deadlines and false claims regarding the IRS handling “unclaimed property.”
The IRS reiterates that it never initiates contact with taxpayers via email, text, or social media concerning tax refunds or bills. Therefore, recipients should exercise caution when encountering suspicious messages claiming to be from the IRS. It is advised not to respond or open any suspicious content. Instead, electronic scams should be forwarded to phishing@irs.gov, and individuals should consult the IRS website for further information on identifying and reporting scams.
