IRS Warns Crypto Holders: Scammers Are Sending Fake Letters by Mail to Steal Assets or Data

Odaily reported that according to Bloomberg, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning crypto asset holders that scammers are contacting some taxpayers by mailing fake letters in an attempt to steal their digital assets or personal data.

The IRS stated that these letters may require taxpayers to register for a so-called "Digital Asset Compliance Portal," but this portal does not exist. The IRS also reminds users not to scan suspicious QR codes, and not to answer or comply with calls demanding payment.

While phishing and digital scams are not new to the crypto industry, sending fake IRS notifications through physical mail appears to be a novel scam tactic. As the IRS has indeed sent taxpayers letters related to digital assets in the past, and the surge in crypto tax filing notices last year has led to confusion among many taxpayers, scammers may be exploiting this familiarity to disguise their attempts.

As the U.S. tax system requires taxpayers to disclose their crypto asset activities on tax returns, communication between the IRS and digital asset holders has become more common. This also makes fake tax notices more deceptive. For crypto users, encountering "IRS letters" involving portal registration, QR code scanning, wallet connections, or payment demands warrants extra caution and should be verified through official channels.