IRS letter requesting call

[Gail in Virginia]

A client called me today and said she had received a letter from the IRS requesting that she have her 2016 and 2015 tax returns in front of her and call them to verify that she was the taxpayer and was entitled to the refund shown on her 2016 return.  Has anyone else seen this?  I am concerned that this might be a scam, or that i tell her that and it will turn out to be legitimate. 

[Margaret CPA in OH]

I've not heard of that and think it a scam.  Ask what the return address was and on what the form number was.  Every document from IRS has a form number, I think.  If she calls (and I wouldn't advise it as the usual response is to mail in or fax information), she may want to say that her POA will handle the issue (may scare them off) as she has turned it over to you.

[Gail in Virginia]

I have asked her to send me a copy of the letter.  If it doesn't look completely kosher, I was thinking of going the POA route.  But usually scammers don't like to leave call back numbers.  I have not heard of this as a scam or as legitimate.

[Lee B]

Think about it, if this was an efiled return, what information could she give them that they don't already have ?

This is a variation of a scam that is currently being used against social security and medicare recipients.

 

[SaraEA]

Some states are asking filers to verify their identities, but they have to respond via a state portal.  You can't use it unless you got a letter requesting you to do so.

I have seen two letters from the "IRS" that were obviously scams.  They surprised me because they came in the mail instead of the usual electronic means.

[Catherine]

OTOH, I have had a client who has been required by the IRS - for two years in a row! - to confirm her identity before they released refunds.  However, I got copies of the letters each time, confirmed that they were legit (by calling *after* checking the phone number listed, getting ID numbers, etc), then set up conference calls with the client.  Did this client have any refundable credits?  It was the case with my client; someone who had not been to college but went back to school mid-20's, long after being self-supporting, and was claiming education credits.

[MDEA]

I have had a few clients receive that letter. Since they did not have their 2015 return they went to the IRS office with a copy of the 2016 return. I had not done the prior year return.

[Gail in Virginia]

I got a copy of the letter, and my client was actually savvy enough to go to the IRS website and check it out.  It is a 4883c letter, and apparently legit. 

[Margaret CPA in OH]

This is all good to know and adds to my knowledge base.  I have not before heard of this but most likely because none of my clients received one of these - or didn't tell me! 

Does this count for CPE?

[B. Jani]

I have one client got 4883c to verify the identity as refund will not be released for 2016. I checked IRS.GOV and all the info of letter correct. Client called and verify info and the 2016 refund will be released in 8 weeks. It seems that ID Theft is still active and when IRS suspect it, they send the letter to call back.

[Cathy]

The 4883c's are legit (unless they're fake). I had a client who just got one.  To me, or rather I should say in my client's case at least, it appears to merely be a way to explain the processing of the return taking longer than 21 days and a way also to impress Congress they are on top of fraudulent returns (not).

[GLJEANNE]

I saw one of these a couple weeks ago, the fraud/indentity verification dept is sending them out.  I'd never seen one before either, but verified the phone number as their fraud unit. 

Hope everyone is smart enough to check these out with us!