IRS Warns About Fake $1,400 Payment Text Message Scam

Tax officials are alerting people about sketchy text messages that claim to offer $1,400 Economic Impact Payments through links meant to steal personal information.

These tricky messages promise quick money - within 48 hours - by direct deposit or check. In reality, scammers use fake IRS websites to gather banking details and personal data.

"We need to make sure these payments get to the right individuals without requiring them to file an amended return," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel in a statement.

The IRS never sends official communications through texts, emails or social media. They only use regular mail for notices.

Real money will go to a million taxpayers who didn't claim their Recovery Rebate Credit in 2021. These actual payments will happen automatically without any action needed.

Don't click on random message links, the Better Business Bureau says. Go straight to IRS.gov for real payment information.

The scam has grown to include fake checks with incorrect amounts, along with requests for personal information to process them.

The timing makes this scam particularly tricky - it happens during tax season between January 27 and April 15, when people are less suspicious.

Be wary of words like "stimulus check" or "stimulus payment" - they're signs of fraud. The IRS uses just one term: "economic impact payment."

Real payment notices came by mail this January, not through any digital messages.