Scam Alert: Fake IRS Text Offering $1,400 Economic Impact Payment Using Deceptive "irs.gov.taxinstr.com" Domain

I just got this suspicious text message about an Economic Impact Payment for $1,400 from what claims to be the IRS. The message shows "An official website of the United States Government" at the top with the IRS logo. The full message states: "You are eligible to receive a $1,400 Economic Impact Payment. Please provide your accurate personal information. We will deposit the amount into your bank account or mail a paper check within 1 to 2 business days." The website has navigation options including "Help," "News," and "Exit" buttons. Below the Economic Impact Payment heading and message, there's text that says "The IRS is committed to providing you with support and assistance" followed by a prominent "Get My Payment" button. At the bottom of the page, there's a section titled "How can we help you?" with an option to "Apply for an Employer ID Number (EIN)." What's making me really suspicious is the URL shown at the very bottom - it clearly displays "irs.gov.taxinstr.com" instead of just irs.gov, which is the legitimate IRS website. It looks like they're trying to make it appear as an IRS subdomain, but it's actually the domain "taxinstr.com" trying to look official. I checked the timestamp and this message came through at 12:15, and it shows in my Messages app. Has anyone else received something like this? I want to make sure I'm not missing out on a legitimate payment, but despite all the official-looking elements and formatting, the URL is a huge red flag. Should I report this somewhere?

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13 comments

Sophia Bennett

The text message shows a sophisticated phishing attempt designed to mimic official IRS communications. The scammers have carefully recreated elements of legitimate IRS websites, including the "official website" banner, navigation links like "Help" and "News," and even specific IRS services like "Apply for an Employer ID Number (EIN)." The message claims eligibility for a $1,400 Economic Impact Payment and promises payment within 1-2 business days after providing "accurate personal information" - this is a major red flag. The IRS never requests personal information via text or email, nor do they make unsolicited contact about stimulus payments. The most telling sign is the domain: "irs.gov.taxinstr.com". While it includes "irs.gov", it's actually a subdomain of "taxinstr.com". Legitimate IRS websites always end in .gov with no additional extensions. The scammers are using urgency ("1-2 business days") and official-looking elements like "The IRS is committed to providing you with support and assistance" to create false legitimacy. This is a textbook phishing attempt designed to steal personal and financial information. Report it to phishing@irs.gov and do not click any links or provide any information.

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