Unfortunately, some groups and individuals take advantage of Montanans by pretending to be the Montana Department of Revenue or the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Scam artists over the years have tried many ways to hack into computers or to get money or personal information from Montanans who believe they are responding to legitimate calls, emails, or other inquiries.
While tax scams seem to peak during the tax filing season in the spring, they persist year-round. With technology always changing, scammers are always trying new ways to get your information or your money.
Common Scams
The Scam
A fraudulent text message is sent claiming to be a link to your Montana property appraisal.
The Truth
The Montana Department of Revenue sends Property Appraisal Notices by mail.
While you may sign-up to have our newsletter sent to you by text message, we do not send property or tax information through our newsletter.
If you receive a message and are not sure what to do, please contact our Citizen Services Call Center at (406) 444-6900.
The Scam
The caller or letter claims that you have taxes or other fees overdue, and if you don’t pay up right now, you could face arrest, a lawsuit, or loss of your home.
The Truth
The Montana Department of Revenue will not make threats or demand money over the phone.
We may call individual taxpayers to clear up information about your income tax return, or after sending letters about a remaining tax liability, we may contact you to set up a payment plan, however we will never threaten arrest.
No one from your local sheriff’s office or police department will call you seeking funds on behalf of the Department of Revenue.
The Scam
The caller or writer claims to have a rebate or refund for you. But to receive the money, you’ll have to send a processing fee or other payment to the caller.
The Truth
This is not how the department distributes refunds. If you are owed money by the department, you will receive it either by check or direct deposit into your bank account.
We will never ask you to pay a fee to receive your own money.
The Scam
The caller says you have “unclaimed property,” such as an old insurance rebate or funds left over in an old bank account, being held by the Montana Department of Revenue. The caller will release the funds to you, in exchange for a fee.
The Truth
The department collects and distributes such funds to thousands of Montanans every year. Individuals owed at least $50 can search for their names on our TransAction Portal.
Private parties that will locate your property for a fee are not necessarily breaking the law, but it is not necessary to use such a service or pay any fee to collect your property.
The department does not individually contact unclaimed property owners, and we do not charge fees for providing the funds.
The Scam
The scammer attempts to trick you into providing personal and financial information with an email or deceptive website. The scammer may ask you for information directly or try to get you to place harmful software on your device to compromise its security and steal information.
Protecting Yourself
Do not trust links in unsolicited emails.
If an email claims to be from the Department of Revenue but you are not sure it is legitimate, contact our Call Center at (406) 444-6900.
If you receive a phishing attempt related to federal taxes or the Internal Revenue Service, report it at phishing@irs.gov.
The Scam
The scammer files a fraudulent income tax return using stolen information to attempt to collect a fraudulent refund.
Protecting You
We take steps to protect you by verifying your tax information. This includes using identity verification letters and other fraud checks.
It’s because of these steps that it could take up to 90 days to process your return and send you your refund, but we’ve also reduced fraud by more than 84% and saved taxpayers over $5,000,000.
Learn more about our Identity Verification Process.
If you have been the victim of identity theft, we can help you recover.
Identity Verification Letters
While Montanans need to stay vigilant about unsolicited emails, calls, and letters, they should be also aware that the Department of Revenue may send taxpayers an Identity Verification letter. This is s a legitimate request from the Montana Department of Revenue, and taxpayers receiving this letter should respond as soon as possible with the requested materials to avoid any delay in receiving their refund.
Learn more about Identity Verification letters.
Protect Yourself
When in doubt, Contact Us
If you are unsure whether a caller is actually from the department, hang up and contact our Call Center at (406) 444-6900. We will be able to tell you if the call originated at the department.
If you are the target of a scam related to federal taxes, you can report them to the Internal Revenue Service.
Protect Your Refund
We do everything we can to protect your refund. Here are three things you can do to help prevent fraud and get your refund more quickly:
- File Electronically
- Keep your address up-to-date. Especially if you’re a first-time Montana tax filer.
- Don’t wait until the last minute. File your state and federal income tax returns early.
It can take up to 90 days to issue your refund.
Learn more about Individual Income Tax Refunds.