Taxpayers Warned of Unclaimed Refund Scam

Taxpayers Warned of Unclaimed Refund Scam.Amid the surge of fraudulent text and email schemes, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a warning about a fresh tactic that utilizes traditional physical envelopes to target individuals’ bank accounts.

Taxpayers Warned of Unclaimed Refund Scam

The choice of utilizing mailers is a deliberate strategy, as the IRS never contacts taxpayers through email, text messages, or social media platforms to solicit personal or financial information.The scam involves a cardboard envelope, resembling a delivery service package, containing a letter with the IRS masthead. The letter falsely claims to be related to an unclaimed refund. However, instead of delivering a refund, the letter cunningly requests detailed information that identity thieves can exploit to file fraudulent tax refunds or gain access to sensitive financial data.

IRS Commissioner, Danny Werfel, Highlights

The IRS Commissioner, Danny Werfel, highlighted the persistent efforts of identity thieves posing as the IRS to deceive people into divulging valuable personal information and stealing identities and money, including tax refunds.

What makes this particular scam noteworthy is its use of a physical mailer to entice taxpayers into providing sensitive information through email or phone under the pretense of “filing information.” The requested information includes driver’s license number, cellphone number, Social Security number, bank account type, and bank routing details.

Fortunately, there are several conspicuous red flags in this new scam, much like others that have surfaced. For instance, the wording and punctuation used in the letter are poor, indicating a lack of professionalism:

“You’ll Need to Get This to Get Your Refunds After Filing. These Must Be Given to a Filing Agent Who Will Help You Submit Your Unclaimed Property Claim. Once You Send All The Information Please Try to Be Checking Your Email for Response From The Agents Thanks”

Inconsistent font choices, incorrect filing deadline, inaccurate IRS telephone number, and contact information are additional indicators of the scam’s illegitimacy.