If you receive a text message claiming that you will receive a $1,400 check from the IRS, don’t click any links. The Better Business Bureau warns that it’s a scam.
Criminals are impersonating the IRS to trick taxpayers into sharing personal information with them.
The text will appear to be sent from the IRS, claiming you’re eligible to receive a $1,400 Economic Impact Payment and should provide your personal information to receive the money.
“This IRS text is a phishing scam. The message contains a fake link that mimics an official IRS website. Clicking it may lead to malware or a fraudulent form asking for personal or financial information. The IRS does not contact taxpayers via text, email, or social media, and they will never request information this way,” the BBB said in a statement.
The misleading texts do have an air of truth, as they are based on recent news from the tax agency.
In late December, the IRS said it was sending $2.4 billion in total to 1 million people to cover those who didn’t get all of their federal stimulus checks during the pandemic.
Those payments, a maximum of $1,400 per recipient, were automatically sent to eligible taxpayers who filed a return but did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit.
To avoid this scam, here’s what officials recommend doing:
- Verify communications: Genuine IRS notices are sent through postal mail, not text messages or emails.
- Avoid clicking links: Never click on links in unsolicited messages. Instead, go directly to IRS.gov for information.
- Be cautious of urgency: Scammers create a sense of urgency to make you act quickly. Take time to confirm claims independently.
- Report the scam: Forward suspicious messages to [email protected] and report them to BBB.org/ScamTracker.
