SEATTLE — No, the IRS is not sending letters to taxpayers who are owed “an unclaimed refund.” Criminals impersonating the IRS are trying to steal sensitive personal and financial information.
These bogus refund notices—sent in cardboard envelopes from a delivery service—have the IRS logo at the top, but the contact information does not belong to the IRS.
“What makes this unique is it’s an actual physical mailer coming to you, delivered, as opposed to an email phishing scam, or text smishing, or phone calls, which we’ve seen in the last few years,” said IRS spokesman Raphael Tulino.
While the IRS does contact taxpayers by mail, it uses normal envelopes, not cardboard mailers, Tulino told Checkbook. Most importantly, the agency never sends letters about refunds.