If you received a text message claiming to be from the New York Department of Revenue (or NYS Department of Taxation and Finance), be extremely cautious — especially if it includes links, asks for personal info, or says you owe money or are getting a refund.
This kind of text message is often a phishing scam.
🔍 What to watch out for in fake NY Department of Revenue texts:
Scam text examples:
“New York Dept of Revenue: You have an outstanding tax balance. Pay now to avoid penalties: [suspicious link]”
“Your NY State tax refund is ready. Confirm your info: [link]”
“Urgent: NY Tax Dept needs updated bank info for direct deposit.”
Red flags:
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It includes a suspicious or shortened link (bit.ly, tinyurl, etc.).
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It demands immediate action or payment.
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It says “click here” to confirm identity, get a refund, or avoid arrest.
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Poor grammar, typos, or generic language (“Dear taxpayer”).
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It comes from a random phone number or email address.
✅ What the real NYS Department of Taxation and Finance does:
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They do not text links asking for personal or payment info.
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Official tax communications are usually via postal mail.
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In rare cases, they may send a text or email only if you signed up for that via your Online Services account — and even then, they never ask for sensitive info through text.
Also Read : How To Get Amazon Settlement Money
📌 What to do if you got a suspicious NY revenue text:
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Don’t click any links.
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Don’t reply or provide any info.
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Report the scam:
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Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) to report it to your carrier.
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Report phishing attempts to NYS Tax Department here:
🔗 https://www.tax.ny.gov/help/contact/email-dept.htm (choose “Report phishing or fraud”) -
Report to the FTC: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov
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Delete the message after reporting it.
🛡️ If you clicked the link or entered info:
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Immediately change any passwords you may have entered.
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Enable two-factor authentication on your online tax and bank accounts.
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Contact your bank if you entered payment info.
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Watch for identity theft — consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus:
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Equifax: 800-525-6285
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Experian: 888-397-3742
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TransUnion: 800-680-7289
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