IRS CP53E Notice – Possible Scam Concerns

Auditing & Accounting • Tax Preparation • Business Consulting Services • Nonprofits • Individuals

MAY 2026

Some taxpayers have received IRS CP53E notice after filing their 2025 federal income tax returns.

A legitimate IRS CP53E notice is used when the IRS cannot issue a refund by direct deposit because bank account information is missing, incorrect, rejected by the bank, or cannot be validated.

However, some taxpayers have received this notice even though they did not request a refund. Informal reports suggest the IRS may have issued some CP53E notices in error. Receiving an unexpected CP53E notice is not automatically a cause for alarm, but taxpayers should be cautious.

Tax professionals have also reported fraudulent versions of CP53E notices. These fake notices may closely resemble official IRS correspondence but are designed to steal personal or financial information.

A legitimate IRS notice will typically direct taxpayers to log into their official IRS account through the IRS website, not through an unfamiliar link, email, text message, or third-party website.

While some CP53E notices may have been issued in error, taxpayers should take a careful approach before providing any banking or personal information.

Warning signs of a possible scam include:

Links to websites that are not IRS.gov
Phone numbers that are not associated with the IRS
QR codes that lead to suspicious or non-IRS websites
Requests to respond by email or text message
Refund payment options involving gift cards or other unusual methods

Recommended steps for taxpayers:

Do not immediately update your banking information.
Do not use QR codes, links, phone numbers, or addresses listed on the notice unless they are independently verified.
Access your IRS account by typing www.irs.gov directly into your browser.
Review your tax return and IRS online account to confirm whether a refund is shown as issued or pending.
Use only verified IRS contact information.
If you did not request a refund, the notice can generally be ignored.

If you have questions about a CP53E notice or your specific situation, please contact Smith, Sullivan & Brown, P.C. before taking any action.

l to r: Juliana Caruso, Principal, Partners: Linda M. Smith, Maureen L. Sullivan, Sandra M. Brown

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