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Is This IRS Letter Real? How to Check Before You Respond

Most IRS letters are real, and so are most SCDOR notices. But scams copy them closely, so it is worth a few minutes to check before you call a number or pay anything.

Reviewed by LaToya Clark-Thompson, FounderLast updated

How the IRS actually contacts you

The IRS starts most contact through regular mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Calls or visits happen in limited situations, such as an overdue balance, an unfiled return or unpaid payroll tax, or an audit, and even then you will generally have received several letters first.

The IRS does not start contact by email, text message or social media to ask for personal or financial information. A message like that claiming to be the IRS is almost always a scam.

What the IRS will never do

  • Demand immediate payment by gift card, prepaid debit card or wire transfer
  • Demand payment without giving you the chance to question or appeal the amount
  • Threaten to bring in local police, immigration officers or other law enforcement to arrest you
  • Threaten to revoke your driver’s license, business licenses or immigration status
  • Ask for payment to anyone other than the U.S. Treasury

Real payments go to the United States Treasury through the payment options listed on IRS.gov. A check is made payable to “United States Treasury”.

How to check a letter

  1. Find the notice number in the right corner and look it up on IRS.gov. Real notices have an explanation page. Our hub covers the common ones, such as CP14 and CP504
  2. Sign in to your IRS Online Account by typing IRS.gov into your browser yourself. Many notices, balances and payments show up there
  3. Check that the tax year and the last digits of your Social Security number or EIN match your records
  4. If you call, use a number from IRS.gov, not one from a letter you are unsure about
  5. For a South Carolina notice, go to dor.sc.gov yourself. A genuine SCDOR notice carries a title, notice number, your name and address, its purpose and contact information. See SCDOR identity verification

Common scam patterns

  • An email or text about a refund, a “final notice” or a “suspended” account, with a link
  • A call saying a warrant will be issued unless you pay today
  • A letter that says “IRS” but sends you to a payment site that is not IRS.gov
  • Mailers from private companies with official-looking seals offering to settle your debt, which are advertising, not IRS notices

Real identity letters, such as Letter 5071C and Letter 4883C, are often mistaken for scams. They send you to IRS.gov or to a number listed there, and they never ask for payment.

If you are still not sure

Send us a photo or scan of every page through the secure client portal before you respond. We will tell you whether it matches what the IRS or SCDOR sends and, if it is real, what it means. Never send the letter or your Social Security number by email or text. If it is real, we take it from there; see tax resolution.

Frequently asked questions

Does the IRS send emails or texts about my taxes?

The IRS does not start contact by email, text or social media to ask for personal or financial information. Real contact begins with a letter in the mail. If you get an email claiming to be from the IRS, do not click anything; the IRS asks that suspicious emails be forwarded to phishing@irs.gov.

Can the IRS show up at my home?

In some cases, yes, usually for an overdue balance, unfiled returns or an audit, and normally only after several letters. A real IRS employee carries two forms of official credentials, and you have the right to see them and to verify the person through an IRS phone number. The IRS does not demand payment on the spot.

How do I report an IRS scam call?

Report IRS impersonation calls to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration through its IRS impersonation scam reporting page, and to the Federal Trade Commission. Do not give any information to the caller. If you are worried the call was about something real, sign in to your IRS Online Account to check.

Are letters from tax relief companies real IRS notices?

No. Mailers from private companies often use seals, case numbers and urgent wording that look official, but they are advertising. A genuine IRS notice has a notice number in the corner, explains a specific tax year, and gives instructions and IRS contact details. When in doubt, check the number on IRS.gov.

Not the question you had? The full tax FAQ covers more ground, and our client reviews say what the work is actually like.

Related pages

How to read an IRS letter

Where the notice number, tax year, amount and response date sit on the page, and what each means.

Learn more

Letter 5071C

The IRS is holding a return until you confirm it is yours. Verify only through the letter’s own instructions.

Learn more

SCDOR identity verification letter

South Carolina wants you to confirm you filed your return before it releases the refund.

Learn more

How to respond to an IRS letter

Check it, decide whether you agree, gather support, reply by the date, and keep proof.

Learn more

Part of IRS & SC Letter Help. Not sure which service fits? Answer a few questions.

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Prefer to talk? Call (864) 781-4035 or book a consultation.

Send us the letter. We will tell you what it means.

Call (864) 781-4035 or book a consultation, in the Easley office or virtually.

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