Warning to Illinois Residents of New Tax Refund Scam Using Text Messages

A warning has been issued by the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) because of a new text scam that has recently been reported around the state.

IDOR Alerts Residents to Fake Refund Messages

According to a press release from the IDOR, there's a new nationwide text message scam attempting to trick Illinois residents into giving up their personal financial information.

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The fake messages claim that a tax refund has been processed and will prompt recipients to verify banking details or risk losing their state refund.

Officials Urge Caution Against Phishing Attempts

According to the Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue, they have seen a "significant rise" in the number of fake text messages that are attempting to impersonate state revenue departments.

These scams are designed to deceive taxpayers and pressure them into revealing their most sensitive financial information. Let me be very clear that IDOR does not send unsolicited text messages asking for banking or personal information. -David Harris, IDOR Director

So, how can you tell if there's an actual message coming from the Department of Revenue?

How to Identify Legitimate IDOR Communication

According to the press release, IDOR only communicates with state taxpayers through official mail from the U.S. Postal Service or through the MyTax Illinois online platform, which is IDOR's secure online platform.

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Any unsolicited text, email, or social media message claiming to be from IDOR, especially those that request personal or banking information, should be ignored and deleted immediately.

Protecting Illinois Taxpayers

According to IDOR Director Harris, the top priority of the department is "protecting taxpayer information." He also urged Illinois taxpayers to contact the Illinois Department of Revenue directly if they are ever unsure about any communication that claims to be from IDOR.

Taxpayers with questions about refunds or account balances should visit tax.illinois.gov or call 1-800-732-8866.