Tax Season Scams Are Back — Here’s What to Watch For

Tax season always brings the same thing with it — refunds, stress, and a fresh wave of scams that somehow keep catching people off guard.

Every year, the the Internal Revenue Service puts out warnings about fake messages and letters pretending to be connected to your tax return. And every year, people still get tripped up by them. Most of the time, it comes down to details that feel small in the moment but matter a lot later.

If you’re waiting on a refund, slow down and read anything that lands in your inbox, mailbox, or phone carefully. Scammers rely on urgency. Legitimate agencies don’t.

One example that’s been flagged in the past looked official at a glance but fell apart the longer you read it:

“You'll Need to Get This to Get Your Refunds After Filing… Please Try to Be Checking Your Email…”

The punctuation was strange, the wording didn’t quite make sense, and it referenced “unclaimed property” — something the IRS doesn’t handle when it comes to tax refunds. That’s usually the giveaway. Real government notices don’t read like they were stitched together in a hurry.

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Another scam showed up as a physical letter inside a plain cardboard envelope, claiming it was sent “in relation to your unclaimed refund.” The contact information didn’t match the IRS, and the letter asked for sensitive personal details — including photos of a driver’s license — which can be used to steal a refund outright.

Text messages are another favorite. Some are short. Some are oddly specific. A recent one asked for:

“A clear phone of your driver’s license that clearly displays all four (4) angles…”

That’s not how the IRS communicates. Ever.

The rule of thumb is simple: government agencies don’t call, text, or email asking for sensitive information out of the blue. They also don’t rush you, threaten you, or demand photos of personal documents.

If something feels off, take your time. Ask for written confirmation. And if it still doesn’t sit right, it probably isn’t.

It’s never a good idea to give out sensitive information like your Social Security number to someone who calls you unexpectedly, even if they say they’re with the Social Security Administration or IRS.

For more information, you can visit the FTC website.