Inland Revenue starts sending Individual Income Tax Assessments in early June, and scammers know the timing. IR has issued a reminder for taxpayers to be alert for fake refund messages over the winter assessment season.
What IR is actually doing this winter
From early June until the end of July 2026, IR sends automatic income tax assessments to salary and wage earners. If you are due a refund, IR pays it directly into the bank account they already hold on file. If you have a tax bill, you have until 7 February next year to pay it, or 7 April if you are linked to a tax agent.
These automatic assessments do not include people who file an IR3 return separately. Most self-employed people, contractors, and trustees sit in that group, and their returns follow the normal IR3 process.
What IR will and will not do
From IR's 15 May 2026 release, a short list of signals worth knowing:
- IR pays refunds into the bank account already on record. They will not ask you to enter bank details via a link in an email or text.
- If IR does need updated bank details, the request will come through myIR or the contact centre on 0800 257 777, not via a link sent to you.
- IR will not include the dollar amount of a refund in an email or text message.
- IR will not request credit card details in connection with a refund.
- IR will not speak to customers in a threatening way.
- Scammers often manufacture urgency. If you do have a tax bill, you have until next February to pay it, so there is no need to act in the next ten minutes.
If you have not already enabled two-step verification on your myIR account, it is also worth doing.
If a message looks off
- Do not click links in an unexpected email or text that claims to be from IR. Go directly to ird.govt.nz and log in to myIR from there.
- If you are not sure whether a message is genuine, call IR on 0800 257 777.
- Suspicious emails can be forwarded to phishing@ird.govt.nz so IR can flag them.
- If you are a TACA client and IR needs to act on something substantive, they will usually contact us as your tax agent. If you receive a message claiming urgent action is needed, check with us first.