How can we tell if an IRS letter & it's toll free number is from the IRS?

[mikeburg]

My client's are getting letters from the IRS about tax returns they had not filed yet listing toll free phone numbers for them to call. One is to confirm filed tax return is truly theirs, the other is asking for Form 8962 Healthcare credit reconciliation that was missing.

While they look like other ones I have seen from the IRS, I am getting very suspicious because there are so many phishing scams going around.

How can we tell if an IRS letter is truly from the IRS & it's toll free number is truly the IRS?

I would appreciate any & all ideas everyone may have. mikeburg

[Burke]

Well, of course, if your e-filed return rejects, that should confirm a problem. But the IRS is catching a lot of these phony returns this year. It would make sense to me that if you file an extension and it rejects, you would know something is amiss. Alas, I filed extensions last year and they went through unscathed. Then the return rejected later. The letter asks that they go online to www.idverify.irs.gov. Also, check out www.irs.gov. (keyword search 5071C.) Is the phone #1-800-830-5084?

[DonB]

My client's are getting letters from the IRS about tax returns they had not filed yet listing toll free phone numbers for them to call. One is to confirm filed tax return is truly theirs, the other is asking for Form 8962 Healthcare credit reconciliation that was missing.

While they look like other ones I have seen from the IRS, I am getting very suspicious because there are so many phishing scams going around.

How can we tell if an IRS letter is truly from the IRS & it's toll free number is truly the IRS?

I would appreciate any & all ideas everyone may have. mikeburg

IMO these are scam letters. I have one that looks very real but is most definitely a scam. It offers my client one year free Equifax identity theft protection because their information was hacked from the IRS data base. The scammers have the web loaded with information that make their letter look real if you try to google the phone numbers. The first tip off was the letter was dated four days after the client received it. Anther was Letter 4281G (Rev 2- 2016) at the bottom and a catalog Number 68248A (all bogus) trying to make it look real. The phone numbers to call are to the scammers.

[DonB]

Here is the letter if I did this right. I finally verified the phone number as not IRS by doing a reverse lookup on switchboard.com.

[TAXNJ]

Simple

It's simple. The IRS has been notifying and advertising to the Tax Professiionals, media and general public for a number of years.

Are you aware that if you go to the IRS website there is a dedicated area related to ID theft?

[Roland Slugg]

How can we tell if an IRS letter is truly from the IRS & it's toll free number is truly the IRS?

Just ask your client to call the IRS's public number (not the one on the letter), then explain that he/she got a letter, and ask if it's legit.

[beck]

Thanks for heads up!

My goodness! I've been diligent with telling my clients that the IRS will not call or send them an email asking for information that they will send them a letter via snail mail. Now this?!

Beck

[spanel]

[ATTACH]136[/ATTACH]

Here is the letter if I did this right. I finally verified the phone number as not IRS by doing a reverse lookup on switchboard.com.

These are NOT scam letters. These are from when the IRS had all the transcripts hacked.

Chris

[TAXNJ]

Yes

Just ask your client to call the IRS's public number (not the one on the letter), then explain that he/she got a letter, and ask if it's legit.

Absolutely. Best practice.

[TAXNJ]

Telephone

These are NOT scam letters. These are from when the IRS had all the transcripts hacked.

Chris

So is the Telephone number fake? Did you call it (hopefully if fake did not give private info)?

[spanel]

So is the Telephone number fake? Did you call it (hopefully if fake did not give private info)?

I cant believe you guys didnt hear about this.. its was a pretty big thing!! The reason the transcript page was taken down.

http://www.freep.com/story/money/personal-finance/susan-tompor/2016/02/26/get-transcript-trouble-builds-irs-scammers/80995582/

Chris

[David1980]

[ATTACH]136[/ATTACH]

Here is the letter if I did this right. I finally verified the phone number as not IRS by doing a reverse lookup on switchboard.com.

866-225-2009 is a legitimate phone number. See IRM 10.5.4.4.5. https://www.irs.gov/irm/part10/irm_1...4r.html#d0e959

[DonB]

I was wrong---

[ATTACH]136[/ATTACH]

Here is the letter if I did this right. I finally verified the phone number as not IRS by doing a reverse lookup on switchboard.com.

I was wrong on this. This is a legitimate IRS correspondence. What threw me off was the letter was dated after the delivery date, and the phone numbers are ones they don't want known, and therefore a reverse lookup gave suspicious results. I knew of the 2015 hack but had not heard of the 2016 hack. Sorry for this confusion.

But, I do believe every inquiry must be closely examined.

[Lion]

IRS letter dates are all over the place. I think they date them for the next Friday or whatever is their practice. Then, they might get mailed immediately. Or, a real person may review so they get mailed much later.

[taxea]

If in doubt email the letter to phishing@irs.gov or the fraud unit and ask them for verification.