No, The IRS Does Not Send Tax Refunds By Email or Text

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Advice division is reminding residents that the IRS will never send a tax refund via email or text and if you’ve received one, it’s a scam. Tax time is the time of year when IRS impersonators will be at it again trying to scam you out of your money.

This year, the FTC says scammers have been sending messages regarding your “tax refund” or “tax refund e-statement.” The messages appear to look legitimate, but are fake if it’s an email or text message. The messages try to have the potential victim click on the link provided in the message so they then can steal from you.

Clicking on the link that is asking the potential victim to check their “tax refund e-statement” or “fill out a form to get your refund.” Those who do click on the link risk having malware installed on their phone or computer and/or having the scammer steal your identity.

The IRS will never contact someone via email, text message, or through social media to obtain personal or financial information, the FTC says. The FTC says if you’ve clicked on one of these scams, or may have shared personal information, report it to IdentityTheft.gov for a free, customized recovery plan.