INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana officials are warning residents about a text message scam targeting people with fake promises of tax refunds.
The Indiana Department of Revenue said scammers are sending texts claiming taxpayers' refund requests have been processed and approved, but requesting bank account information to complete the deposit.
The fraudulent message tells recipients to "provide valid payment information by September 23, 2025" and promises funds will be deposited within 1-2 business days after confirmation.
State officials emphasized they never send text messages requesting payment or personal information from taxpayers.
"Do not click any links or respond to suspicious texts," the department warned. "Do not share personal or financial information."
The scam specifically targets banking information, driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers and credit card details.
Anyone who receives the suspicious text should not reply and instead contact the Department of Revenue at 317-232-2240 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
People who may have already fallen victim to the scam should immediately change passwords for compromised accounts and contact their bank to report the incident. Officials also recommend placing fraud alerts or credit freezes with all three credit bureaus and monitoring account activity.
Confirmed cases of identity theft should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at consumer.ftc.gov/topics/identity-theft.
The Department of Revenue offers additional fraud prevention resources on their website.
