"Tax Refund Payment" Email Scam
Scam email subject line
Tax Refund Payment
Known variants
Recalculation of your tax refund payment
Your IRS tax refund has been processed
Action required: claim your tax refund
IRS: Tax refund notification
FTC issued a specific January 2026 consumer alert about this scam. Emails with subject 'Tax Refund Payment' claim the IRS has processed or approved your refund and ask you to click a link to verify your identity — stealing your SSN, bank account, and driver's license number.
Reports
FTC consumer alert January 2026 — surging pattern during tax season
First documented
2022
Last active
2026-03
⚠ Email subject lines can be spoofed or randomized. Scammers frequently vary subject lines to evade spam filters. This page documents a subject line pattern reported to official government agencies. It is not a factual determination about any specific sender. Contact [email protected] if you believe your organization is listed in error.
Who this email pretends to be from
What this scam email says
Scammer sends an email appearing to come from the IRS with subject 'Tax Refund Payment' or 'Recalculation of your tax refund payment.' The body states your refund has been approved and asks you to click a link to submit personal information to claim it. The link leads to a fake IRS website that collects your SSN, date of birth, AGI, driver's license, and banking details.
What this scam email looks like
From: [email protected] Subject: Tax Refund Payment Dear Taxpayer, The Internal Revenue Service has processed your tax refund. Your refund amount: $1,247.00 To verify your identity and receive your payment, click the link below and complete the verification form within 48 hours. [VERIFY AND CLAIM YOUR REFUND] You will need to provide: SSN, date of birth, bank routing number. Internal Revenue Service refunds.irs-portal.com
Reconstructed example for educational purposes. Not a verbatim reproduction.
Scam email subject line variants
- •Tax Refund Payment
- •Recalculation of your tax refund payment
- •Your IRS tax refund has been processed
- •Action required: claim your tax refund
- •IRS: Tax refund notification
5 red flags
FTC issued a January 2026 consumer alert specifically about this subject line
The IRS never initiates contact by email about your tax refund — all communication is by U.S. mail
Real IRS refund status is checked at IRS.gov/refunds — not via email links
The link leads to a fake IRS website (IRS.gov is the only real one)
Requests for SSN, bank account, and driver's license together = identity theft attempt
What to do
Delete the email — do not click any link
Check your real refund status at IRS.gov/refunds
Forward the email as an attachment to [email protected]
Report to FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
Report this email scam
Source
FTC consumer alert January 28, 2026 — 'That text or email about your tax refund is a scam'; IRS Dirty Dozen 2025 #1 — email phishing
https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/01/text-or-email-about-your-tax-refund-scam ↗Fake sender domains used in this scam
Scammers impersonate legitimate brands using these fraudulent domains. If you received an email from one of these, it is a scam.
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Frequently asked questions
Is an email with subject "Tax Refund Payment" a scam?▼
FTC issued a specific January 2026 consumer alert about this scam. Emails with subject 'Tax Refund Payment' claim the IRS has processed or approved your refund and ask you to click a link to verify your identity — stealing your SSN, bank account, and driver's license number.
What does this scam email say?▼
Scammer sends an email appearing to come from the IRS with subject 'Tax Refund Payment' or 'Recalculation of your tax refund payment.' The body states your refund has been approved and asks you to click a link to submit personal information to claim it. The link leads to a fake IRS website that coll…
What should I do if I received this email?▼
Delete the email — do not click any link Check your real refund status at IRS.gov/refunds Forward the email as an attachment to [email protected]
Who does this email pretend to be from?▼
This scam impersonates: Internal Revenue Service, IRS.gov, U.S. Department of the Treasury, State tax agencies. FTC issued a January 2026 consumer alert specifically about this subject line
Received a suspicious email?
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Check your email →Source: FTC consumer alert January 28, 2026 — 'That text or email about your tax refund is a scam'; IRS Dirty Dozen 2025 #1 — email phishing
First documented: 2022 · Last active: 2026-03
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