Fake IRS CP53E letter with QR code asks for your bank account to "deliver your refund"
Counterfeit IRS CP53E notices—mailed to look like official refund letters—contain a QR code directing you to a fake IRS site that steals your routing and account number to divert your tax refund.
Also known as: fake IRS CP53E notice, IRS refund letter scam, fake IRS direct deposit letter, counterfeit IRS notice scam, IRS QR code letter scam
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
- 1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
- 2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
- 3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.
What to do right now
- 1 Do not scan the QR code or call the phone number in the letter — go directly to IRS.gov by typing it in your browser
- 2 To verify a CP53E notice is real, log in to your IRS Online Account at IRS.gov/account — your refund status and any pending notices will appear there
- 3 Update your direct deposit information only through your IRS Online Account — IRS employees cannot collect bank account info by phone, text, or email
- 4 If you submitted your bank account number on a fake site, call your bank immediately to block any incoming transfers and change your account if needed
- 5 Report to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov.
Red flags
- ⚠ The real IRS never includes QR codes in any mailed notice — a QR code on an IRS-looking letter is a definitive sign of fraud
- ⚠ Urgency wording such as 'act within 24 hours or your refund will be forfeited' — the real IRS does not set arbitrary same-day deadlines in letters
- ⚠ The letter or email asks you to submit your bank routing and account number by scanning a QR code, clicking a link, or calling a number in the letter — the only legitimate way to update direct deposit info is through your IRS Online Account at IRS.gov
- ⚠ The URL after scanning does not end in .irs.gov or .gov; scammers use domains like 'irs-direct-deposit.com' or 'irs-refund-portal.net'
- ⚠ Letter arrives by email or text — the real CP53E is always sent by physical mail to the address on your tax return
The IRS began sending real CP53E notices to millions of taxpayers in early 2026. Under Executive Order 14247 (signed March 25, 2025), the Treasury is transitioning away from paper refund checks to electronic deposits. When the IRS approves your refund but cannot process it electronically, it mails a CP53E notice asking you to submit direct deposit information.
Criminals quickly exploited this. They mail convincing fake CP53E letters — sometimes also sent by email or text — that include a QR code or a fake phone number. Scanning the QR code leads to a counterfeit IRS website that collects your routing and account number, allowing scammers to redirect your refund to their own accounts.
The National Taxpayer Advocate issued a warning in May 2026 that counterfeit CP53E letters are actively circulating.
One rule protects you: The real IRS never includes QR codes in any mailed notice. If your CP53E has a QR code, it’s a fake. Go to IRS.gov directly to check your refund status and submit banking information through your secure IRS Online Account.