If your tax refund check is stolen, the IRS and Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) will initiate a trace to locate the funds and, if confirmed as stolen or fraudulently cashed, issue a replacement. You must file IRS Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund, with the process often taking up to six weeks or more.
To replace a lost or stolen tax refund check, you can request a refund trace in the IRS Where's My Refund tool. You will need to enter your Social Security number, filing status, and the exact whole dollar amount of your refund.
Contact the paying agency and report the incident. If you need contact information for the paying agency, go to https://www.usa.gov/agency-index. The agency will help you with the claims process. You will be sent information on the check claims process, including forms you must return for processing.
If you learn you are the victim of tax-related identity theft. Complete Form 14039, PDF attach it to the back of your completed paper tax return and mail to the IRS location based upon the state you reside. If you prefer, you have the option to submit and mail your paper return separately.
If you report the unauthorized transaction within two business days, your liability may be limited to $50, and the bank usually refunds the money within 10 business days. If reported between 2 to 60 days after the transaction, your liability can increase to $500, and the refund process may take up to 20 business days.
IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) serves the American public by investigating potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code and related financial crimes in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law.
Money has been stolen from my bank account
Banks must refund unauthorised payments under the Payment Services Regulations, but how much you get back – and how quickly – can depend on whether you acted promptly and whether there's evidence of fraud or negligence.
You can direct your refund to any of your checking or savings accounts; you cannot direct your refund to someone else's account (except for your spouse's account, if this is a joint refund).
To use Where's My Refund?, taxpayers must enter their Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, their filing status and the exact whole dollar amount of their refund. The IRS updates the tool once a day, usually overnight, so there's no need to check more often.
In FY 2022, the average processing cycle time for IDTVA cases was 399 days, which rose to an average of 556 days in FY 2023 and then worsened to an average of 676 days in FY 2024. Thus far in FY 2025, the IRS is averaging 506 days for IDTVA-AM cases.
Call the IRS and see if you can get an image of the back of the check. Contact the bank that deposited and let them know they accepted a fraudulent check. They should reverse the funds from the account they were deposited into and the IRS can reissue the check or, better yet, direct deposit to your bank account.
Call us at 800-829-0115 to request a replacement check. If you have the expired check, please destroy it. When you receive the new check, remember to cash it.
If you lost your refund check, you should initiate a refund trace: Use Where's My Refund, call us at 800-829-1954 and use the automated system, or speak with a representative by calling 800-829-1040 (see telephone assistance for hours of operation).
Garnishing your refund
If you're expecting a tax refund but have concerns about creditors garnishing it, you may be worrying too much. Federal law allows only state and federal government agencies (not individual or private creditors) to take your refund as payment toward a debt.
To request a check reissue, reach out to the financial institution or agency that issued the original check and follow these steps: Provide Necessary Information: Be ready to provide details such as the check number, issue date, and the reason for the reissue request. You may also need to verify your identity.
Individuals may call the TOP Interactive Voice Response (IVR) at 800-304-3107 to determine the contact information for the agency or state they owe. My spouse and I filed a joint tax return and our refund was offset for a debt that my spouse owes.
To speak to someone at the IRS by phone, call 1-800-829-1040, select your language, then navigate the options (often 2 for personal tax, 1 for forms/history, 3 for other questions, then 2 for individual questions), and do not enter your SSN/EIN when prompted to reach a live agent, aiming for early mornings (7-9 AM) on weekdays for shorter waits. Have your Social Security number, birth date, filing status, prior year's return, and any IRS notices ready before calling.
Use the IRS Where's My Refund tool or the IRS2Go mobile app to check your refund online. This is the fastest and easiest way to track your refund. The systems are updated once every 24 hours.
Request a refund trace from the IRS for missing refund checks. Complete IRS Form 3911 if you are married and filing jointly. Otherwise, contact the IRS Refund Hotline (800-829-1954) or use the Where's My Refund? portal.
The biggest tax mistakes people make include filing late, math errors, incorrect personal info (like Social Security numbers), forgetting deductions/credits (like EITC), misreporting income, not signing forms, and making errors with bank details for direct deposit, all leading to delays, penalties, or missed savings, with using tax software or professionals helping avoid these common pitfalls.
expandable section. We'll investigate the information you share and refund you within five working days. But if we need more time to investigate, it may take up to 35 days. You should also report this to Report Fraud and the police or allow us to share information with the police if necessary.
Contact your bank - If it was your bank account, contact your bank and explain what has happened. If you know which bank the money was sent to, you should also contact them. If this is done quick enough, they may be able to freeze the money if it is still in transit and both should kick off a fraud investigation.
The Electronic Fund Transfer Act requires banks to provide secure systems for electronic transactions and to investigate reported unauthorized transactions in a timely manner. If a consumer promptly notifies a bank of an unauthorized transaction, the consumer's liability is likely to be minimal.