Suspicious IRS Letter Demanding $5000 for 2022 Tax Year - Is This Legit?

Title: Suspicious IRS Letter Demanding $5000 for 2022 Tax Year - Is This Legit? 1 My grandmother just called me in a panic saying she got a letter supposedly from the IRS claiming she owes $5000 for the 2021-2022 tax year and demanding a $500 payment right away. I haven't actually seen the letter yet but I immediately told her not to pay anything until we figure out if this is legitimate. I'm really suspicious about this whole thing. If she actually owed that much money, wouldn't the IRS have notified her back in April when she filed her taxes? It seems weird they'd wait until August to suddenly demand money. Also, isn't the normal procedure that if you can't pay your full tax bill at once, you'd set up some kind of official payment plan with the IRS rather than just sending random partial payments? She's elderly and I'm worried this might be a scam targeting seniors. Has anyone dealt with something similar or have advice on how to verify if this is actually from the IRS? Should I have her bring the letter to a tax professional?

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18 comments

Micah Trail

•8M

8 This definitely raises some red flags, but the IRS does send notices about tax deficiencies outside of tax season. These can be legitimate, though scammers also impersonate the IRS frequently. First, check if the letter has an official IRS notice number (usually CP or LTR followed by numbers) in the upper right corner. Real IRS letters have these. Also look for official IRS letterhead and a toll-free number to call. Never call a number from the letter directly. Instead, contact the IRS independently at 800-829-1040 to verify the notice. The IRS will NEVER demand immediate payment without allowing you to question or appeal the amount, nor will they require a specific payment method like gift cards. Ask your grandmother if she received any prior notices, as the IRS typically sends several before requesting payment. And yes, the IRS does offer payment plans, so an immediate demand for $500 without offering options is suspicious. I'd recommend getting a copy of the letter as soon as possible and contacting the IRS directly to verify before taking any action.

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Micah Trail

•8M

8 The CP number is a good sign that it might be legitimate, but still verify directly with the IRS. Regarding calls - this is important: the IRS typically does NOT initiate contact with taxpayers by phone. If she's receiving calls, especially calls that come after the letter and are pressuring her to pay, that's a major red flag for a scam. Scammers often send fake letters then follow up with calls to add pressure. The IRS primarily communicates through mail, and they don't make aggressive phone calls demanding immediate payment. I strongly recommend getting a copy of that letter ASAP, calling the official IRS number, and possibly reporting these calls to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.

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Micah Trail

•8M

17 After dealing with a similar situation with my uncle last year, I found this amazing service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that helped us determine if his IRS letter was legitimate. You upload the letter and they analyze it to confirm if it's actually from the IRS or a scam. They also explained what the notice meant in plain English and outlined our options. The tool checks all the official formatting elements and compares it to known IRS documents. It also flagged suspicious language and unusual payment instructions that helped us realize my uncle's letter was a sophisticated scam. From what you're describing, having an expert review would definitely help confirm if your grandmother's letter is legitimate.

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Micah Trail

•8M

17 The accuracy is really impressive. The service is trained on thousands of actual IRS documents, so it can distinguish between normal IRS formatting inconsistencies and the red flags in fake letters. It looks at everything from font choices to paper quality to language patterns that scammers typically miss. It definitely helps with next steps too. If the letter is legitimate, it explains what the notice means in simple terms, outlines your response options, and gives you deadlines for any actions required. My uncle's situation was a scam, but for real notices, it breaks down payment plans, appeal processes, and other important information so you know exactly what to do.

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Micah Trail

•8M

14 Just wanted to share my experience with taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. My mom received a suspicious IRS letter last month claiming she owed $7,800 in back taxes. I was skeptical about using an online service, but I was really worried it might be a scam. After uploading the letter to https://taxr.ai, it confirmed my suspicions - it was definitely a scam! The service pointed out several inconsistencies in the letterhead and formatting that I wouldn't have noticed. It even showed side-by-side comparisons with real IRS letters to highlight the differences. The detailed analysis saved us from a potentially expensive mistake. They also provided information about reporting the scam to the proper authorities. My mom was so relieved, and I'm definitely keeping this bookmarked for future reference!

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Micah Trail

•8M

21 After reading your post, I thought you might want to try Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). When my parents got a suspicious IRS letter last year claiming they owed $6,500, I couldn't get through to the IRS for days to verify it. Claimyr got us connected to an actual IRS representative in under 20 minutes when we had been trying for hours on our own. The IRS agent confirmed it was partially legitimate (though the amount was wrong) and walked us through exactly what to do. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Honestly, calling the IRS directly is the only way to verify these letters with 100% certainty, but the wait times are brutal without help. Having an actual IRS employee explain the situation directly to my parents gave them so much peace of mind versus trying to figure it out ourselves.

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Micah Trail

•8M

21 It works by using an automated system that navigates the IRS phone tree and waits on hold for you. When an agent finally picks up, you get a call connecting you directly to them. The technology basically does the waiting for you so you don't have to sit by your phone for hours. I completely understand the skepticism - I felt the same way initially. You absolutely can keep calling the IRS yourself, but the average wait time last tax season was over 2 hours when you could even get in the queue. Many times you just get disconnected because their system is at capacity. We tried for three days straight before using Claimyr. For us, the time saved was definitely worth it when my parents were worried sick about potentially owing thousands of dollars. It's really just a convenience service, like paying for expedited shipping when you need something quickly.

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Micah Trail

•8M

11 I need to eat my words. After my skeptical comment yesterday, I decided to try Claimyr myself to deal with a tax notice I'd been putting off for weeks because I couldn't face the IRS hold times. The service actually worked exactly as described. I got a callback in about 15 minutes and was connected to an IRS agent who helped resolve my issue. I'd literally tried calling 5 separate times before this and never got through. The time saved was honestly worth it - I was able to confirm my notice was legitimate but the amount was incorrect due to a processing error. The agent adjusted it right over the phone. No more anxiety hanging over my head, and I didn't have to take a day off work just to sit on hold. Just wanted to follow up since I was so skeptical initially.

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Micah Trail

•8M

7 Something similar happened to my father last year. It turned out to be a legitimate letter but the amount was incorrect due to a missed 1099 form. A couple things to check: 1) Did your grandmother have any unusual income last year - like selling investments, taking an early withdrawal from retirement, or receiving unemployment? 2) Is there any way she could have forgotten to report some income? The IRS computers automatically match reported income from employers/banks against what's on tax returns. 3) Did she receive any prior notices? The IRS usually sends several notices before demanding payment. Ask her to check her mail carefully - sometimes people miss the earlier notices or don't understand what they mean.

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Micah Trail

•8M

7 Both great questions! For unusual income, she did sell some stocks last year after my grandfather passed away. She's not very financially savvy and has been relying on their longtime accountant who's getting up there in age himself. Regarding prior notices, that's actually very possible. She doesn't open all her mail right away and sometimes sets aside things she doesn't understand. I'm going to visit her tomorrow and go through her mail from the past few months to see if there were earlier notices. The investment angle seems most likely based on your experiences. I'll definitely check on that specifically when I see the letter. Thank you both for the helpful suggestions!

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