2023 Identity Theft warning from the IRS

The following advisory is courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service via Nexstar:

Amid the onslaught of text and email scams, there's a new tactic targeting your bank account, the Internal Revenue Service warns, and it uses old-fashioned physical envelopes. 

The choice of a mailer is likely by design as the IRS doesn't contact taxpayers by email, text message or social media channels to ask for personal or financial information. 

The scam mailer shows up in a cardboard envelope from a delivery service, and the letter inside has the IRS masthead and the wording "in relation to your unclaimed refund."

However, instead of getting you a refund, the letter goes on to request detailed information that identity thieves themselves can use to file for a tax refund or access other financial information.