Got suspicious IRS letter claiming $5000 owed for 2022 tax year - is this legit?

This definitely raises some red flags. The IRS typically sends notices for tax deficiencies, but they follow certain protocols. Here's what to look for: Real IRS letters have a notice number (like CP2000 or CP3219) in the upper right corner. They'll clearly explain why the money is owed and provide detailed calculations. Also, legitimate IRS letters don't demand specific partial payments like $650 - they state the full amount due and provide payment options. The timing is also suspicious. While the IRS does send notices throughout the year (not just after filing), August is when many scammers ramp up IRS impersonation schemes. The IRS would never demand immediate payment without giving you appeal rights or payment options. When you see the letter, look for poor grammar, threats of arrest, or demands for unusual payment methods like gift cards or wire transfers - these are definite scam indicators.

After getting audited last year, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which literally saved me thousands in wrongly assessed taxes. They can scan IRS letters and tell you exactly what you're dealing with - whether it's legit or a scam. I was in a similar situation with a suspicious notice claiming I owed $8,200 from a "review" of my returns. Uploaded the letter to taxr.ai and within minutes had confirmation it was a scam attempting to look like a CP2000 notice. The system highlighted specific red flags in the formatting and wording that I would've missed. Apparently there's been a huge increase in these sophisticated scams targeting elderly taxpayers. For real IRS notices, they also explain all your options and rights - super helpful when you're panicking about a tax bill!

Just wanted to update everyone - I decided to try taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here. My mom's letter looked SUPER official with all the right logos and formatting, but something felt off about the wording. Uploaded pics of the letter and within minutes got confirmation it was 100% a scam! The system highlighted several red flags including inconsistent fonts, a slightly modified IRS logo, and demands for payment that didn't match standard IRS protocols. They even showed side-by-side comparisons with legitimate notices. The scammers had created a fake CP2000 notice that looked nearly identical to real ones. Most concerning was they were pushing for payment via "electronic money order" to an account that obviously wasn't the Treasury. Reported everything to TIGTA and warned others in my mom's retirement community since they seem to be targeting seniors. So grateful I checked before my mom sent money!

If you're trying to reach the IRS to confirm whether a letter is legitimate, good luck! I spent TWO WEEKS trying to get through their phone lines after receiving an adjustment notice. Finally discovered Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 15 minutes. You can see how it works in their demo: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super skeptical at first, but it literally saved me days of frustration. The IRS agent confirmed my letter was legitimate but contained an error in the calculation. Without being able to talk to someone, I might have paid $2,300 I didn't actually owe. For something like a suspicious letter, talking directly to the IRS is really the only way to know for sure if it's legitimate. Just be prepared with the taxpayer's info and any authorization if you're calling on behalf of your grandfather.

Ok I need to apologize to the person who recommended Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it since my wife and I have been trying to resolve an identity theft issue with the IRS for MONTHS. I am absolutely shocked at how well it worked. After 3 months of never getting through the IRS phone tree, we were connected to an actual human in about 20 minutes. The agent confirmed we were victims of a sophisticated scam where someone filed a fake return in my wife's name and were trying to get us to pay "back taxes" that weren't actually owed. The agent flagged our account for identity protection and is helping us file the proper forms to report the fraud. She also confirmed the letter we received (which looked incredibly official) was NOT from the IRS. Sometimes being proven wrong is the best possible outcome. This literally saved us thousands of dollars and countless hours of stress.

Before you do anything, check if the letter has a specific IRS notice or letter number. The most common ones are: - CP2000: Proposed changes to your tax return - CP22A: Changes to your tax return resulting in amount due - CP14: Balance due notice - LT11 or CP90: Final notice before collection action If it doesn't have one of these standard notice numbers, it's likely a scam. Also, the IRS NEVER initiates contact through email, text messages, or social media. Another red flag: if the letter asks for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency - 100% scam. The IRS accepts checks, credit/debit cards, electronic payments through EFTPS, or installment agreements.

My dad fell for one of these scams last year and lost $3,000 before we realized what was happening. These scammers are incredibly sophisticated now - the letter he received had the correct IRS logo, realistic formatting, a fake but authentic-looking notice number, and even referenced specific deductions from his actual tax return (which means they had somehow accessed his tax info). The big red flags we missed: 1) They asked for payment via money order made out to "US Treasury Processing" instead of just "US Treasury", 2) They provided a PO Box for mailing payment that wasn't an official IRS address, and 3) They included a phone number that wasn't listed on the official IRS website. Always verify by calling the official IRS number listed on IRS.gov (1-800-829-1040), not any number in the suspicious letter.