Received Official IRS Mail from Austin TX - Legitimate Envelope with $300 Private Use Warning - What's Inside?

Just got this letter from the U.S. Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service in Austin, TX 73301-0003. The envelope is marked as "Official Business" with "Penalty for Private Use $300" and has PRESORTED FIRST CLASS MAIL postage markings. There's a warning printed on it saying "Don't let tax scams or schemes distort your view." The full details on the envelope show: From: U.S. Department of the Treasury Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service Austin, TX 73301-0003 PRESORTED FIRST CLASS MAIL Postage and Fees Paid Internal Revenue Service PERMIT NO G-48 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 Don't let tax scams or schemes distort your view I'm feeling hopeful, but also a bit nervous seeing all these official markings. The envelope looks completely legitimate with all the official Treasury Department and IRS markings, the Austin TX return address, and even has that permit number G-48 listed for the postage. Anyone get something similar recently? What should I expect when I open it? I know the IRS sends various notices throughout the year, but the "don't let tax scams or schemes distort your view" warning has me a bit on edge. Is this a refund check, a notice about my taxes, or something else entirely?

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14 comments

Natalie Wang

The envelope markings confirm this is an official IRS communication through several key identifiers. The Internal Revenue Service's Austin processing center (73301-0003) is one of their main distribution facilities. The "PERMIT NO G-48" is a specific Treasury Department permit number used for official IRS mailings, while the "Penalty for Private Use $300" marking is standard language required on official government correspondence. The presence of "PRESORTED FIRST CLASS MAIL" indicates this was sent through the IRS's bulk mailing system, but with first-class handling priority. Of particular interest is the anti-fraud message "Don't let tax scams or schemes distort your view" - this is part of the IRS's taxpayer protection campaign and actually helps authenticate the letter, as it's a security feature implemented in their official mailings. All these elements together - the Treasury Department letterhead, official permit number, processing center address, and security messaging - indicate this is legitimate IRS correspondence rather than a fraudulent attempt at communication. However, the specific nature of the contents can only be determined once opened.

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