Setc Pros invoice payment request - is this legitimate or a scam?

This sounds concerning. Legitimate tax resolution companies typically don't require large upfront payments before providing services, especially not as a condition to "release" approved funds. The IRS doesn't work that way either. Real tax resolution firms help negotiate with the IRS on your behalf, set up payment plans, or possibly settle for less than you owe through an Offer in Compromise. But they don't "approve" you for specific dollar amounts that you can receive after paying a fee. I would be extremely cautious here. This has several red flags of a common tax relief scam. The IRS warns about these schemes where companies promise to settle tax debts for pennies on the dollar, approve you for large refunds, then demand upfront payment to "release" those funds.

I had a similar situation last year with tax problems and found taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) incredibly helpful. After getting suspicious emails from another "tax relief" company, I uploaded all their communications and my tax documents to taxr.ai and it immediately flagged several warning signs of a scam. The AI analyzed my actual tax situation and showed me I qualified for an IRS payment plan that I could set up myself without paying anyone thousands in fees. You just upload your documents, and it analyzes everything including suspicious communications from tax relief companies. It basically translated all the IRS jargon into plain English and showed me exactly what steps to take.

I was skeptical about taxr.ai but tried it after getting a similar email from a supposed tax relief company. Uploaded the scammy email and my tax forms and it immediately identified THREE red flags in the offer. The system showed me I actually qualified for a streamlined installment agreement directly with the IRS that I could set up myself. Saved me from paying $3,000 to the scam company! It even generated a script for what to say when I called the IRS. Turns out I only needed to pay $150/month for 36 months to resolve my tax debt completely - nothing like the "one-time fee" the scam company wanted.

If you're struggling to get through to the IRS to verify this, try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with a suspicious tax relief offer and needed to talk to the IRS urgently to verify if I really owed anything. After wasting hours on hold, I found Claimyr and they got me connected to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes when I had been waiting for hours before. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. They basically navigate the IRS phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when an actual human agent is on the line. The IRS agent confirmed I didn't owe what the "tax relief" company claimed and helped me understand my actual options.

I owe everyone here an apology. After calling BS on Claimyr, I actually tried it because I was desperate to talk to the IRS about a similar tax relief scam targeting me. Within 20 minutes, my phone rang and there was an actual IRS agent on the line! The agent confirmed the "tax relief" company that contacted me wasn't authorized by the IRS and was likely a scam. She helped me understand my actual tax situation and set up a legitimate payment plan directly with the IRS. I'm still shocked it worked so well. Saved me from potentially losing $1,500 to scammers AND got my actual tax issue resolved in one call.

My cousin fell for something similar with a different tax relief company. They took her $1200 "processing fee" and then kept finding reasons why she needed to pay more before they could "release" her approved amount. Eventually she was out $3700 and they stopped responding to her calls. This is 100% a scam. The IRS doesn't approve specific relief amounts that someone else can "release" to you. And legitimate tax resolution companies don't work this way either.

Definitely a scam! I work in banking and see these all the time. Some red flags: - Requiring payment to "release" approved funds - Specific dollar amounts promised - Pressure tactics using tax debt fear - Email communication for sensitive financial matters The real IRS never emails about tax debts and legitimate tax resolution companies don't promise specific dollar amounts of relief upfront.

This is absolutely a scam - don't pay them anything! I fell for a similar scheme a few years ago and lost $800 before realizing what was happening. Here's what legitimate tax resolution actually looks like: Real companies help you negotiate payment plans or settlements with the IRS, but they don't "approve" you for specific dollar amounts that you can claim after paying a fee. The IRS doesn't work that way at all. If you actually owe taxes, you can work directly with the IRS to set up payment plans or explore options like an Offer in Compromise. You don't need to pay anyone upfront to access money that's supposedly already been "approved" for you. Block their number and email, and consider reporting them to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. These scammers prey on people who are already stressed about tax issues - don't let them take advantage of you!

I'm glad you asked before paying anything! This is definitely a scam. As someone who's dealt with legitimate tax issues, I can tell you that real tax resolution works completely differently. The IRS never "pre-approves" specific dollar amounts that get held until you pay a fee to release them. That's not how any legitimate tax program works. Real tax resolution companies help you negotiate payment plans, offers in compromise, or other arrangements directly with the IRS - but they charge for their services upfront, not as a fee to "unlock" money. A few things you can do right now: 1. Check your actual tax account status for free at IRS.gov 2. If you do owe taxes, you can often set up payment plans directly with the IRS without paying a middleman 3. Report this scam to the FTC and IRS - it helps protect others Don't feel bad about almost falling for this - they're very convincing and specifically target people who are already worried about tax issues. The good news is you caught it before losing any money!

I'm really glad you posted this here before sending any money! This is absolutely a classic tax relief scam. The telltale signs are all there - the "pre-approved" amount, the upfront fee to "release" funds, and the pressure tactics. I've been dealing with tax issues for years and can tell you that legitimate tax resolution never works this way. The IRS doesn't approve specific dollar amounts that third parties can release to you after paying a fee. That's complete fiction. If you're genuinely concerned about your tax situation, here's what I'd recommend: 1. Create an account at IRS.gov to see exactly what you owe (if anything) 2. If you do owe taxes, the IRS has several legitimate programs like payment plans and hardship deferrals that you can apply for directly 3. If you need help, work with a certified tax professional who charges transparent fees for their services, not mystery "release" fees Don't give these scammers a penny. Block their communications and consider reporting them to help protect the next person they target. You dodged a bullet by asking here first!

This is absolutely a scam - please don't send them any money! I work as a tax preparer and see these fraudulent schemes constantly. The biggest red flag is them claiming you've been "pre-approved" for a specific dollar amount that they can "release" after you pay an upfront fee. This is completely made up. Here's how legitimate tax resolution actually works: If you owe the IRS money, they will contact you directly by mail (never email or phone calls initially). You can then work directly with the IRS to set up payment plans, apply for hardship programs, or explore an Offer in Compromise to settle for less than you owe. Real tax resolution companies help facilitate these legitimate IRS programs, but they don't hold "approved funds" that you can access by paying fees. The IRS has a free online account portal at IRS.gov where you can check exactly what you owe without paying anyone. If you discover you do have tax debt, there are legitimate ways to address it that don't involve paying money upfront to access supposed "approved relief funds." Report this scam to the IRS (Form 14157), FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov), and your state attorney general. You're smart to verify this before paying - many people lose thousands to these exact same schemes.

I'm so glad you posted this before sending any money! This is 100% a scam - I've seen these exact same schemes targeting people in our community before. The "pre-approved for $7,500 but need to pay $1,195 first" is a classic red flag that shows up in countless tax relief scams. Here's what's really happening: legitimate tax resolution companies help you work with the IRS on payment plans or settlements, but they don't hold "approved funds" that you can access by paying upfront fees. The IRS doesn't work that way at all. If you're genuinely worried about your tax situation, go straight to IRS.gov and create an online account to see exactly what you actually owe (if anything). From there, you can explore real IRS programs like installment agreements or hardship deferrals directly without paying middlemen. Please report this scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and file IRS Form 14157. These criminals are specifically targeting people who are already stressed about taxes, and reporting them helps protect others in our community from falling victim to the same scheme. You absolutely made the right call asking here first - that instinct that "something feels off" was spot on!

This is definitely a scam - do not pay them anything! I've been working in tax compliance for over 15 years and these "pay upfront to release approved funds" schemes are unfortunately very common. Here's the reality: the IRS doesn't "pre-approve" specific dollar amounts that get held by third-party companies until you pay release fees. That's complete fiction. Legitimate tax resolution works by helping you negotiate payment plans, offers in compromise, or other arrangements directly with the IRS, but no legitimate company holds "approved relief funds" on your behalf. A few immediate steps you should take: 1. Do NOT respond to any more communications from this company 2. Check your actual tax account status for free at IRS.gov - create an online account to see exactly what you owe 3. If you do owe taxes, you can often set up payment plans directly with the IRS without paying anyone 4. Report this scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and file IRS Form 14157 The fact that your gut told you "something feels off" was absolutely right. These scammers specifically target people who are stressed about tax issues and make their communications look very official with logos and legal language. You're smart to verify this here first - stick with that instinct and don't send them a penny!