Scammers frequently take advantage of tax season in the United States to defraud people by making false claims about automated payments. One of the most recent scams involves text messages purporting to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) alerting users to a $1,400 check as part of a special return.
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), these emails are fraudulent attempts to steal financial and personal information.
The IRS confirmed that SMS messages are not used to report refunds or payments. Its primary means of communication with taxpayers remains postal mail. In rare cases, calls or texts may be made, but only if the individual has given formal consent.
How the fraud operates
Scammers send messages claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service and offering a check for $1,400 as part of an economic impact payment. They include a link in the text that directs users to a bogus website that mimics the IRS page. Credit card numbers, financial information, and Social Security numbers are sought after.
The IRS may send payments via physical check or automated direct deposit based on previously submitted information. The agency will not request personal information via text message, email, or phone call.
What to do if you get an IRS suspicious message
If you receive a text message claiming you are entitled to a $1,400 check, do not click on any links or open any attachments. The best course of action is to either mark the message as “spam” or “phishing,” depending on your phone’s settings, or to delete it immediately.
You can also report the scam by doing the following.
- For the IRS to look into the suspicious message, forward it to phishing@irs.gov.
- Use the BBB platform to report it at BBB.org/Scam Tracker.
Information is the most effective defense against these scams. Keep in mind that the IRS does not send SMS notifications regarding payments or refunds. If in doubt, check the legitimacy of any correspondence by going to the IRS’s official website.
