State boards of accountancy and tax practitioners are reporting highly convincing fake IRS notices, including those referring to CP53E (failed direct deposit) and CP5071/5071C (identity verification). Some of these letters ask you to “verify” or provide bank account information (even when you owed tax, not a refund) and include QR codes or shortened/odd‑looking website addresses. 

For your protection: 

  • Treat any IRS notice with a QR code or unusual link as suspicious until verified. Do not scan QR codes or type in unfamiliar web addresses from the letter. 
  • To confirm if a notice is legitimate, you can: 
  • Call the IRS directly at 800‑829‑1040 (for individuals) using the number published on IRS.gov, not a number from a suspicious letter. 
  • Log in to your IRS Online Account by typing “irs.gov” into your browser and navigating from there to see if the notice appears in your IRS file.  
  • Forward a copy of questionable letters to phishing@irs.gov for review. 

If you receive any CP53E, CP5071/5071C, or other unexpected IRS notice, please contact our office or securely send us a copy before responding so we can help you verify it and avoid scams.