How to Spot a Fake IRS Letter
Every year, taxpayers fall victim to scammers posing as the IRS in an attempt to steal money or personal information. These criminals often try to add credibility to their schemes by sending fake letters that appear to be from the IRS. However, there are ways to spot these scam emails and avoid becoming a victim.
How to spot a fake IRS letter
The short answer: Check directly with the IRS if you receive a letter asking you to provide personal information or pay back taxes, but there are other signs that the letter you received is subpar. Here’s how to spot a fake IRS letter.
What a real IRS letter would look like
The IRS envelope will have the IRS logo on it, and the letter will have your partial taxpayer identification number and either a notice number (CP) or letter number (LTR) in the top or bottom right corner of the page. Your letter will also state your rights as a taxpayer (which the scammer is unlikely to indicate). In terms of content, the email will be sent to you for several specific reasons:
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You have debt.
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You are due a larger or smaller refund.
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The IRS has a question about your tax return.
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The IRS needs to verify your identity.
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The IRS needs more information from you.
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The IRS has made changes to your tax return.
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The IRS notifies you of delays in processing your return.
This IRS letter will never demand immediate payment or otherwise force you to disclose your personal information. If you are asked for a tax refund, you will always be given steps to appeal your payment. And you will never be asked to make a payment directly to the IRS – instead, payments will always be made to the Treasury Department, which you can do by visiting www.irs.gov. (What if the email mentions gift cards? Forget it, it’s a scam.)
If in doubt, contact the IRS directly.
Because IRS logos and letters can be easily counterfeited, if you have any doubt about the authenticity of a letter, the Better Business Bureau recommends going to IRS.gov to find the relevant notice or form number and reading the IRS Understanding Your IRS Notice page or Letter . You can also call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to verify the letter’s authenticity (use the notice or letter number as a reference when speaking with an IRS agent).
If you believe you have received a fraudulent IRS letter, report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and directly to the IRS at [email protected] .