Tax Refund Fraud Scams



Tax season is back again and so are fraudsters attempting to steal your refund and your identity. If you believe you have been a victim of tax fraud you can report this to the IRS in the below ways. If you suspect any fraud on your SOCU account please contact us immediately at 815-673-5577.

🛑 What You Should Do

If you receive an email claiming to be from the IRS that contains a request for personal information, taxes associated with a large investment, inheritance or lottery.

  1. Don't reply.
  2. Don't open any attachments. They can contain malicious code that may infect your computer or mobile phone.
  3. Don't click on any links. Visit our identity protection page if you clicked on links in a suspicious email or website and entered confidential information.
  4. Send the full email headers or forward the email as-is to phishing@irs.gov. Don't forward screenshots or scanned images of emails because this removes valuable information.
  5. Delete the original email.

📞 The Ways the IRS Contacts You

The IRS will typically contact you the first time through regular U.S. mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. To verify the IRS sent the letter or notice, you can search for it on IRS.gov. Some letters are sent from private collection agencies.
Other ways we may contact you:

  • Email - The IRS will email you only with your permission, with a few exceptions like criminal investigations.
  • Text message - The IRS will text you only with your permission.
  • Phone - The IRS will might call to discuss your case, verify information or set up a meeting.
  • Fax - The IRS will might send a fax to verify or request employment information.
  • In-person visit - These are rare. The IRS will generally send a letter before they visit.

📵 The IRS won't:

  • Contact you or take payment on social media. Get trusted tax information on our official social media accounts.
  • Accept gift cards or prepaid debit cards as payment
  • Threaten to call law enforcement or immigration officials
  • Take your citizenship status, driver's license or business license
  • Leave pre-recorded voicemails (robocalls)
  • Mail tax debt resolution advertisements

Complete details can be found on the IRS website.

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