TSSS: Tax Refund Recalculation Scheme

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is continuing the 2023 Tax-Season Scams Series by warning Floridians about Tax Refund Recalculation Schemes. Scammers know that millions of taxpayers are hoping for large refunds, and may anticipate and prey upon these expectations with fraudulent refund recalculation messages. Attorney General Moody is providing tips for taxpayers to help spot the difference between legitimate refund messages and fraudulent ones.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “You should always be skeptical anytime someone offers you free money—especially through a text or social media message. This is a common tactic during tax season as scammers utilize the excitement of receiving money back from the IRS to steal sensitive banking or identification information from taxpayers. As we continue our Tax-Season Scams Series, I want to make sure Floridians know how to avoid falling prey to this scam.”

Below is an example of a fraudulent tax refund recalculation message. The message is designed to excite the potential victim about an alleged increased refund, then force a sense of urgency with an expiration date to claim the money. The messages will usually be riddled with links and attachments that may contain malware or phishing schemes.

Here are some key things to look for to spot a fake message:
Unsolicited messages promising a tax refund recalculation should be reported to the Internal Revenue Service at phishing@irs.gov. More information can be found at the IRS’s Report Phishing webpage.

The IRS released online tools to help track tax refunds. You can use the ‘Where’s My Refund?’ webtool or download the IRS2Go mobile app to check the status of a refund.