Being Tricky
The short answer
An IRS scam text is a fake message claiming to be from the IRS, usually about a refund you’re owed or a tax bill you must pay, with a link.
At a glance
About 15 minutes · Medium · For Security
Key point 1 of 5
The FTC and IRS describe a few common versions.
Key point 2 of 5
The IRS explains how it actually reaches people on its “How to know it’s the IRS” page.
Key point 3 of 5
You never signed up for IRS texts.
Key point 4 of 5
Skip the link and go to the IRS yourself by typing irs.gov into your browser.
Key point 5 of 5
IRS.gov gives these steps for fake IRS texts:
Quick tip
Paste any link you’re unsure about into our link safety checker to see where it leads without opening it.
You might ask
Does the IRS send text messages? Only if you opted in.
Want every step?
Being Tricky