Even mailed letters can be faked. Here's how a real IRS notice looks vs a fake — paste yours for an instant read.
A notice/letter number (CP### or LTR####), a specific tax year and form, a clear explanation, your right to question or appeal, and payment directed to the U.S. Treasury — verifiable in your IRS.gov account.
No CP/LTR number, urgent threats, odd payee, demands for gift cards, or a phone/website that isn't IRS.gov. Verify before paying anything.
Find the CP/LTR number and look it up in your IRS.gov account, or call the IRS using a number from their official site — never the number on a suspicious letter.