The IRS may send an unexpected check due to an adjusted tax return, a correction of a math error, a delayed refund, or a missed credit. Other reasons include a failed direct deposit, a Recovery Rebate Credit (stimulus), or an interest payment on a refund. Verify the check's legitimacy using the Treasury Check Verification System.
The IRS limits the number of direct deposit refunds to the same bank account or on the same pre-paid debit card. Because your request exceeded our direct deposit limits, we're sending you a paper check instead.
You likely received a U.S. Treasury check without explanation due to an IRS tax adjustment, an offset resolution, a delayed interest payment on a prior refund, or another government payment, but you should verify it through IRS.gov or USA.gov to confirm authenticity and the reason, as it could be a legitimate correction or even a scam. Log into your IRS account or check your account transcript for details, as they often send explanations separately or after the fact.
Taxpayers who receive a direct deposit refund that they did not request should take the following steps: 1. Contact the Automated Clearing House (ACH) department of the bank/financial institution where the direct deposit was received and have them return the refund to the IRS. 2.
Scammers send counterfeit checks to individuals, claiming that the recipients are entitled to receive a government grant, tax refund check, or other payments from the Treasury. The check might look legitimate, complete with watermarks and official seals.
All U.S. Treasury checks are printed on watermarked paper. When held up to the light, the watermark reads “U.S. Treasury” from both the front and the back. Any check should be suspected as counterfeit if the check has no watermark, or the watermark is visible without holding the check up to light.
If you receive an unexpected check, don't cash it. You could be liable if it's fraudulent. Legitimate companies do not overpay and ask you to send back the difference. Be wary if communication is only happening through social media or messaging apps, as reputable businesses typically use professional channels.
Tax refunds can happen if you fill out your W-4 incorrectly, overpay your estimated taxes, are eligible for a refundable tax credit, or receive the Recovery Rebate Credit in 2025. You can use an unexpected tax refund to pay down debt, save for emergencies or college, invest for retirement, and even splurge a little.
Received a refund but didn't expect it
If you know your payment went to the wrong year, send the refund check back to us with a letter explaining what happened. If you're unsure why you received a refund, contact us. Contact us about your refund.
An erroneous refund is defined as "the receipt of any money from the Service to which the recipient is not entitled." This definition includes all erroneous refunds regardless of taxpayer intent or whether the error that caused the erroneous refund was made by the IRS, the taxpayer, or a third party.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (American Rescue Plan), enacted in early March 2021, provided Economic Impact Payments of up to $1,400 for eligible individuals or $2,800 for married couples filing jointly, plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent, including adult dependents.
To tell if a U.S. Treasury check is real, check for embedded security features like the "U.S. TREASURY" watermark when held to light, the Treasury Seal that bleeds red when wet, an ultraviolet (UV) pattern that glows under UV light, and microprinting on the back, then verify the details using the official Treasury Check Verification System (TCVS) or by contacting the issuing agency, as these features can't be copied.
Find out why you received a check from the government
Look up the authorizing agency directly and contact them to find out why they sent the payment. Verify that the check is legitimate: Use the Treasury Check Verification System to confirm that the check you received is legitimate and issued by the government.
Stimulus checks are direct cash payments that the federal government issues to offer financial relief for Americans during periods of economic instability.
Signs That The IRS Might Be Investigating You
Unexpected Checks or Payments
If you receive an unexpected IRS refund check or direct deposit payment, this could be a red flag. The IRS typically does not issue refunds without prior communication. You can verify your status by logging into your IRS account on their official website.
You likely received a U.S. Treasury check without explanation due to an IRS tax adjustment, an offset resolution, a delayed interest payment on a prior refund, or another government payment, but you should verify it through IRS.gov or USA.gov to confirm authenticity and the reason, as it could be a legitimate correction or even a scam. Log into your IRS account or check your account transcript for details, as they often send explanations separately or after the fact.
It could be: A refund from a filed tax return, including an amended tax return or an IRS tax adjustment to your tax account – this will show as being from the IRS (“IRS TREAS 310”) and carry the code “TAX REF.”
How refunds work. If you paid more through the year than you owe in tax, you may get money back. Even if you didn't pay tax, you may still get a refund if you qualify for a refundable credit.
During the 2025 tax filing season, the IRS issued more than 93.5 million tax refunds to individual income tax filers, and 93% of those, almost 87 million refunds, were issued through direct deposit.
There is no legitimate reason why anyone would give you a check or money order and ask you to send cash in return. Just because you can withdraw the cash quickly doesn't mean the check is real. Fake checks can take weeks to discover. Don't transfer or wire money for someone you don't know.
If you receive unexpected funds in your bank account from an unknown source, it's crucial to be cautious. Attempting to transfer this money to another account could involve you in money laundering activities. Avoid taking any actions that might complicate the situation.
Report the fraud.
Tell the FTC, IC3, and your bank about the attempted fraud. If you already lost money to the scam, ask your bank if there's anything you can do to get the money back.