With the IRS now accepting people's tax returns for 2025, a federal watchdog is warning Americans to beware of so-called phishing and smishing scams designed to trick people into unwittingly handing over their personal information.
One common scam: robo-emails or texts bearing the subject line "tax refund" that appear to come from the IRS or a state tax office, the Federal Trade Commission said in an online notice. Recipients are told their tax refund has been "processed" or "approved," but that they must verify their identity by clicking a link and providing personal information, such as a Social Security number and bank account details.
The FTC urged tax filers not to click on such links, which could allow criminals to steal personal data and even your tax refund.
"Know that the real IRS and state tax offices won't reach out by text, email, or on social media to get your information," the agency said. "Only scammers will."
Another scam: a caller posing as an employee of a fake government agency says you owe back taxes, then tries to connect you with a 'tax resolution officer' who asks for your information to check your status or enroll you in a supposed IRS program. Such calls are also intended to pilfer people's personal information, according to the FTC, which urges anyone to immediately hang up.
Tax scams are not just limited to tax season. The IRS compiled a list last year of some of the most common scams taxpayers should look out for year-round. Users can report abusive tax schemes by filling out online Form 14242: Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers, according to the IRS.
To report scam messages, the FTC said, you can check the "report junk" option on your phone or forward unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM), which alerts telecommunications providers about potential scams.
Tracking your tax refund
Filers can check the IRS's "Where's My Refund" tool to get an update on the status of their return, with the agency typically providing information about 24 hours after an electronic filing.
People who file paper returns will need to wait about four weeks for their status to show up in the "Where's My Refund" app, because it takes longer for those filings to get logged by IRS employees compared with automated processing of e-filed returns.
You'll need to provide the following info to use the agency's "Where's My Refund?" app:
- Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)
- Filing status, such as "married filing jointly"
- Exact refund amount on your return
The app will show one of several update statuses:
- Return Received: This means the IRS has received your return and is processing it.
- Refund Approved. This indicates that the IRS approved your refund and is preparing to issue it by the date shown.
- Refund Sent. This means the IRS sent the refund to your bank or to you in the mail.
Edited by Alain Sherter
