Does the IRS send text messages?

Updated October 26, 2026

Yes, but only if you opted in. The IRS sends a few kinds of texts, such as appointment reminders and callback reminders, from short codes 91040 and 34381. A real IRS text never asks for personal, financial, or tax account information, never asks for a payment, and never asks for a PIN or password. A surprise text about a refund, a stimulus payment, or a tax bill is a scam.

When the IRS really texts you

The IRS says it texts about certain services only when you opt in. Its texting page lists three kinds:

What it's for	Sent from
Taxpayer Assistance Center appointments: reminders, confirmations, scheduling changes, check-in and "your turn" updates	91040
IRS News Bulletins you subscribed to, such as tax law updates and alerts for tax professionals or payroll	91040
Customer Callback reminder, before a return call you asked for when phone lines were busy	34381

So a text from 91040 or 34381 can be real, as long as it matches something you signed up for. A callback reminder should come shortly after you called the IRS and chose a callback. An appointment text should match an appointment you booked.

Reply STOP to end IRS texts. The IRS says it confirms the opt-out by text and that you can opt back in any time.

What a real IRS text never does

The IRS says it never texts to ask for:

personal, financial, or tax account information,
payments of any kind,
PINs, passwords, or account numbers.

The IRS also says it generally sends letters by mail before any other contact, and that it never demands immediate payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, or wire transfer.

Signs an IRS text is fake

You never opted in. Without your permission, the IRS doesn't text you at all.
It's about a refund, a stimulus payment, or a rebate. None of these are on the IRS's list of texts.
It asks you to tap a link and "confirm" or "verify" your details, or to enter bank or card information.
It says you owe money or threatens a penalty, arrest, or a lost refund if you don't act today.
It comes from a regular 10-digit phone number or an email address instead of 91040 or 34381.
It tells you to reply Y to turn on the link. That's a trick to get past your iPhone's protection against links from unknown senders. More on the reply-Y trick.

The fake stimulus and refund texts going around

In September 2026, the Better Business Bureau warned about texts telling people they qualify for a $1,400 IRS stimulus payment and asking them to confirm personal information through a link, as reported by WHIO. The IRS says it doesn't communicate about stimulus payments by text.

Fake refund texts follow the same pattern: your refund is "approved," and you must submit payment information by a deadline. See the exact wording people have received.

How to check safely

Don't reply to the text or tap its link. Type IRS.gov into your browser yourself and sign in to your IRS online account to see your balance, payments, and notices. To check a refund, use the refund status tool on IRS.gov. If the IRS needs something from you, it shows up there or in a letter.

If you already replied or tapped the link

You entered your Social Security number, bank details, or a sign-in code: follow what to do if you clicked a scam link, and if you shared a code, what to do if you gave someone a verification code. Go to IdentityTheft.gov if your Social Security number was exposed.
You paid: contact your bank or card company right away and ask them to stop or reverse the payment.

Report it

Email [email protected] with "Text" in the subject line. The IRS asks you to include the sender's phone number and the text, your phone number, and the date, time, and time zone you got it. Then delete the text.
Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can block similar messages. How to report spam texts on iPhone.
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Questions

Does the IRS send text messages about tax refunds?

No. The IRS's texting page lists appointment reminders, news bulletins, and callback reminders, and nothing about refunds. Check a refund yourself on IRS.gov. A text saying your refund is ready and asking for bank details is a scam. See the fake refund texts.

Is a text from 91040 really from the IRS?

91040 is the short code the IRS lists for Taxpayer Assistance Center appointment texts and IRS News Bulletins. A text from it is expected if you booked an appointment or subscribed to bulletins. Even then, a real one never asks for money or personal details.

Will the IRS text me about a tax payment I owe?

The IRS says it never texts to ask for payments of any kind. If you owe, the IRS generally writes to you by mail first. Check your balance in your IRS online account by typing IRS.gov yourself.

How do I stop IRS texts?

Reply STOP to the IRS short code. The IRS says it texts back to confirm and you can opt in again later. If you change your phone number, you have to sign up again.

Sources

Facts checked October 26, 2026.