IRS warns of new tax refund scam. Here are 4 red flags to watch out for
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a new fraud alert.
In this scam, a letter with the IRS logo arrives in a cardboard envelope via a courier service. The letter informs you of a tax refund that you have not yet applied for.
But be careful, the IRS warns that this could be a ruse.
The fake email contains a phone number and contact information that is not associated with the IRS. The letter also asks for personal details, including close-up photos of your driver’s license.
Identity thieves can potentially use this information to steal your tax refund and other important financial data.
According to Alejandra Castro, a spokesman for the IRS, there are certain things in these fake emails that should make you suspicious.
“Firstly, it has the IRS logo on it, but there is no information in the upper right corner, and usually in our letters there is a CP notice and other information in the upper right corner,” Castro said.
A few red flags to watch out for in these scam emails:
- It asks for your mobile phone number, bank routing information, social security number, and your bank account type.
- The letter contains grammatical errors and contains strange requests.
- He falsely claims that the IRS manages “unclaimed property”.
- Provides incorrect information about the deadlines for filing a tax return.
“The deadline in the letter is 17 October. Well, the deadline they are referring to is actually October 16 of this year, which is for taxpayers who have requested a tax deferral,” Castro said.
So how do you check the legitimacy of such a letter? It is best to contact the tax office directly.
“Every letter has a number. You can view it on our website or open an IRS account that has all your personal information. And you can see if there is a copy of that letter,” Castro said.
It is important to remember that legitimate correspondence from the IRS will never ask for such detailed personal information via email, text or letter.
If in doubt, contact the IRS directly through their official website or the official phone line at 800-829-1040.
