The Internal Revenue Service and the Security Summit (a coalition between the IRS, state tax administrators, and the tax industry) issued a warning to taxpayers about a new mail scam that aims to trick people into thinking they are due a refund but must first provide personal information.
In this scam, imposters mail – via a delivery service – a cardboard envelope containing an enclosed letter that includes the IRS masthead in an attempt to appear official. The letter also uses the phrase “in relation to your unclaimed refund.” It provides a phone number not associated with the IRS to contact with questions.
What’s unusual about this particular scam is that it asks taxpayers for a wide range of sensitive personal information, such as images of their driver’s licenses, which could be used to fraudulently collect tax refunds or obtain other sensitive financial information. This letter includes a number of red flags, such as strange punctuation, a mishmash of fonts, and grammatical inaccuracies.
The IRS and Security Summit partners periodically alert the public about prevalent scams, and you can find the most common listed in the IRS’s yearly Dirty Dozen campaign.
Taxpayers should report suspected scams to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration or the Internet Crime Complaint Center. See Report Phishing and Online Scams for more information.
@2023
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IRS Dirty Dozen Part 1 – 2023 Campaign Kicks Off by Warning About ERC Schemes
IRS Dirty Dozen Part 2 – Phishing, Smishing, and Fake Assistance with Online Accounts
IRS Dirty Dozen Part 3 – False Fuel Tax Credit Claims, Fake Charities, and Deceitful Tax Preparers
