At BankIowa, your financial security is our top priority. This tax season, we want to alert you to a sophisticated new scam targeting taxpayers through a spoofed version of a legitimate document: IRS Notice CP53E.

Understanding the difference between a real notice and a scammer’s imitation could be the difference between receiving your refund and having your identity stolen.

What is a Real CP53E Notice?

A legitimate CP53E notice is sent by the IRS when your tax refund has been approved, but the direct deposit failed. This usually happens if there was a typo in the bank routing number or if the bank account was closed. The IRS uses this notice to request that you update your banking information so they can issue the refund electronically.

How Scammers Are Spoofing CP53E

Because this notice specifically deals with your bank account and a pending refund, it is a "gold mine" for fraudsters. Scammers send fake versions of this notice, often via email or text message, to trick you into entering your banking credentials into a fraudulent website.

Real vs. Scam: The Checklist

To keep your accounts safe, use these markers to identify whether the communication you received is genuine.

A REAL IRS CP53E notice will:

  • Arrive by U.S. Postal Mail only. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages, or social media to request personal or financial information.
  • Direct you to IRS.gov. It will instruct you to use official tools like "Where’s My Refund?" on the official government website.
  • State that employees cannot update info by phone. To prevent fraud, IRS agents are prohibited from taking your new banking details over a phone call.
  • Contain NO shortened links. Official IRS letters do not use shortened URLs (like bit.ly) to direct you to websites.

Recently, some legitimate IRS CP53E notices may include a QR code which takes you to the IRS site. But, scammers may also use QR codes, so to be safe, we recommend that you do not use the QR code. Instead, manually type IRS.gov into your browser and log in to your official account to verify the notice and update banking information.

A LIKELY SCAM will:

  • Use digital "hooks." If you receive a text or email claiming to be about your refund, it is a scam.
  • Include QR codes or clickable links. These are designed to take you to a "spoof" site that looks like the IRS but is controlled by a criminal.
  • Use threatening language. Scammers often create a sense of false urgency, claiming your refund will be forfeited or you will face a penalty if you don't act within hours.
  • Offer a "Personal Fix." They may claim a specific "agent" can fix the issue for you if you provide your details immediately.

What to Do If You Are Targeted

If you receive a suspicious notice, do not click any links and do not call the number provided in the message. Instead, navigate directly to IRS.gov or call the official IRS customer service line at 1-800-829-1040 to verify the status of your account.

If you believe you have accidentally shared your BankIowa account details with a scammer, contact us immediately by calling us, visiting your local branch, or sending us a message through our secure banking app so we can take steps to protect your funds.

Staying vigilant is the best way to ensure your refund lands where it belongs –– in your account.