The Philadelphia Department of Revenue isn’t texting you about a tax refund
The message is among the latest scam texts circulating in the area. The fraudsters ask for payment information, claiming that recipients are owed a tax refund from the city.
The Philadelphia Department of Revenue is warning residents about a scam text claiming to be from the city and seeking recipients’ financial information for a tax refund.
“Your refund request has been processed and approved,” the scam text reads. “Please provide accurate payment information by Sept. 16, 2025. We will deposit the funds into your bank account or mail a paper check within 1-2 business days.”
The sender provides a web address where users can submit their information.
The scam message comes with a warning: “Failure to submit required payment information by Sept. 16, 2025 will permanently disqualify you from receiving this refund under Section 19322 of the Philadelphia Revenue and Taxation Code.”
The Philadelphia Department of Revenue said on its website that it is aware of the scam and reiterated that these texts are not from the department.
“We will never ask for bank or refund payment information over text,” reads the note on the department’s website. “Proceed cautiously, do not click links, and block unknown senders.”
The department noted that official city refund information can be found at tax-services.phila.gov.
The Philly warning comes days after New Jersey warned residents about a similar scam text claiming to be from the New Jersey Department of the Treasury’s Division of Taxation. Those texts also ask users to click a link and provide financial information for a supposed tax refund. Scam texts with almost-identical wording have also targeted taxpayers in other states, including Ohio, Utah, and California.
These messages are among the latest examples of smishing, or sending fake texts in order to get personal information. Such texts come in the form of fake job offers, bogus package delivery alerts, and phony bank notifications, and have been inundating the cell phones of U.S. consumers.
To some, these texts result in more than just temporary annoyance. They can cause devastating financial consequences. In 2024, consumers reported losing about $470 million to text message scams, according to Federal Trade Commission data. That figure is five times higher than it was in 2020.
In the Philadelphia region, residents have received scam texts claiming to be from the Philadelphia police, the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes, local election offices, and the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. The phony DHS messages have targeted Medicaid and SNAP recipients.
Experts warn consumers not to respond to unexpected texts. Be particularly wary if the message comes from an unknown number or an odd email address, or if it provides an urgent deadline by which the sender needs personal information. Don’t click links or reply.
If you aren’t sure whether a message is legitimate, search online for the agency or company that is contacting you, find its official phone number, and call it directly to ask whether it texted you.
Federal officials encourage people to report spam texts through their messaging apps or by forwarding the text to 7726 (SPAM), which helps wireless providers identify and stop scam texts in the future.