No, the IRS (www.irs.gov) does not initiate phone calls to taxpayers regarding refunds, nor do they send unsolicited emails, texts, or social media messages. Initial contact regarding tax issues, including refunds, is always made via official mail through the U.S. Postal Service. Calls claiming to be about refunds are scams.
The IRS initiates most contacts through regular mail delivered by the United States Postal Service. The IRS behaves in predicted ways. In fact, the IRS will never call you and… Ask for personal information, like your Social Security number, credit card or bank routing numbers, or other personal information.
You know you're being scammed on the phone if the caller uses high-pressure tactics, demands immediate payment via gift cards or wire transfers, asks for sensitive personal info (SSN, bank details), threatens arrest or fines, or offers "too-good-to-be-true" deals, as legitimate organizations won't use these aggressive, unusual methods. Real agencies won't threaten you, demand instant payment, or ask for passwords; they'll let you verify information independently.
Use Where's My Refund, call us at 800-829-1954 (toll-free) and use the automated system, or speak with a representative by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation). If you filed a married filing jointly return, you can't initiate a trace using the automated systems.
What causes an IRS refund delay?
Below are common warning signs of a phone scam:
We don't:
To check if a phone call is genuine, watch for red flags like urgency, threats, or requests for immediate payment (especially gift cards/crypto); legitimate callers won't demand sensitive info or pressure you. Hang up and call the organization back using an official number from their website to verify, not one the caller gives you, and be wary of spoofed numbers or strange background noise.
You likely received $1,400 from the IRS because you qualified for the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) but didn't claim it on your 2021 tax return, and the IRS proactively sent you the payment, which are often called "stimulus checks". This is the third Economic Impact Payment (EIP3) from the COVID-19 relief efforts, intended for individuals and dependents who missed out on the full amount.
Even if you owe back taxes, know this: the IRS's first contact with you will always come by mail, not by phone. Here's how to avoid an IRS impersonator and get real help: Never give an unexpected caller personal or financial information. It's probably a scammer hoping to drain your bank accounts or steal your identity.
No, simply answering a phone call won't directly hack your modern smartphone, but it opens you up to sophisticated scams (vishing) where callers trick you into giving personal data or installing malicious software, with rare "zero-click" attacks exploiting vulnerabilities just by receiving a call or message. The main risk is social engineering, where scammers use your trust to get you to compromise your own security by revealing passwords or clicking links.
You can tell if your phone is hacked by watching for signs like rapid battery drain, high data usage, unfamiliar apps, frequent pop-ups, slow performance, and strange account activity (like login alerts or password resets you didn't initiate). Other red flags include unrecognized calls/texts, the device overheating when idle, the camera/mic indicator light turning on unexpectedly, or getting locked out of accounts.
To check if a phone number is real, you can perform a quick Google/social media search, use a dedicated phone validation tool, or rely on caller ID apps like Truecaller to see if it's associated with a person/business or flagged as spam; a direct call or text can also confirm activity, but validation tools offer deeper insights into carrier, line type (mobile/landline/VoIP), and active status.
You generally shouldn't worry if your refund is "still being processed," as it means the IRS is working on it, but it might take longer than the typical 21 days due to common issues like errors, incomplete information, or claiming credits like the EITC/ACTC. Worry only becomes necessary if you receive an IRS letter requesting more information or if the "Where's My Refund?" tool shows a specific problem like fraud, but typically, it just means a longer wait, not no refund at all.
The IRS uses a combination of automated and human processes to select which tax returns to audit. Not reporting all of your income is an easy-to-avoid red flag that can lead to an audit. Taking excessive business tax deductions and mixing business and personal expenses can lead to an audit.