IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel warned taxpayers of a new scam earlier this month stating, “This is just the latest in a long string of attempts by identity thieves posing as the IRS in hopes of tricking people into providing valuable personal information to steam identities and money, including tax refunds.” This new scheme involves receiving a letter mailed in a cardboard envelope with the IRS masthead appearing as a notice regarding an unclaimed refund. The letter tries tricking people to phone or email detailed personal information.
While the letter looks very official, there are several features to look for to recognize it as a phishing attempt. The letter says the deadline for filing tax refunds is October 17, when the 2022 deadline is actually October 16. There are also a mixture of fonts, awkward phrasing, and odd punctuation in these letters. Another things to note is that the IRS handles tax refunds and not unclaimed property as the letter suggests.
The IRS will never contact taxpayers by email, text, or social media regarding a tax bill or refund. When receiving questionable communication, never respond by calling the number on the letter. Only use a phone number you know to be accurate, such as one listed on the official IRS website. Any phishing attempt received should be reported to [email protected], providing a copy of the communication, the sender’s information, and when the message was received.
To read the full article on the IRS website, click here.