I got an IRS email saying I have a refund waiting if I verify my details, is it real?
Last reviewed: 2026-08-01 · Checked with Hunch’s on-device engine, the same one inside the extension. How Hunch checks →
Part of our guide: How to recognize a bank-impersonation scam →
No. Tax authorities don’t email you to announce a refund or ask you to “verify” your bank and identity through a link. Messages promising a pending tax refund once you confirm your details are phishing built to steal your Social Security number and banking information.
Got a message like this? Paste it here →
Almost everyone hopes for a bigger tax refund, so an official-looking email announcing unclaimed money flips people from skeptical to eager in a sentence. The scam exploits that optimism and the general confusion around tax rules, using the promise of a deposit to coax out exactly the Social Security number and bank details a thief needs, the mirror image of the fake "you owe tax" threat.
Illustrative example of the pattern, not a real message someone received.
How to verify it yourself
- The IRS initiates contact by mail, not by email demanding you verify a refund.
- Never confirm your SSN or bank details through a link in a refund message.
- Check refund status only at the official IRS site (irs.gov) you type yourself.
- A deadline to "claim" a refund is pressure the real IRS never applies.
Common questions
is an IRS refund verification email a scam
Yes. The IRS doesn't email refund offers or ask you to verify banking details through a link, so this is phishing.
does the IRS email about refunds
No. The IRS contacts taxpayers by mail; an emailed refund with a verification link is a scam every time.
email says verify details to get my tax refund
Don't click. Check your refund at the official irs.gov site and never enter your SSN or bank details on a link from the message.
how to check my real IRS refund status
Use the "Where's My Refund" tool at irs.gov, typing the address yourself. Ignore any refund link sent to you by email or text.
If you already responded
- If you entered your SSN or bank details, place a fraud alert with the credit bureaus and watch your accounts.
- Contact your bank if you shared account or card numbers.
- Report it to the IRS at irs.gov/privacy-disclosure/report-phishing.
Source: IRS, Report Phishing
Hunch is not affiliated with IRS. IRS is named only to describe a scam that impersonates it; the real IRS does not send these messages.