Weird IRS Letters

[sarahbear]

Stop opening them. Write "Not at this address. Return to sender." On the front and put back in the mailbox. Do this several times and then just throw away the rest after that.

[sarahbear]

Sept 12, 2021 21:46:15 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Sept 12, 2021 21:30:48 GMT -5 sarahbear said:

Stop opening them. Write "Not at this address. Return to sender." On the front and put back in the mailbox. Do this several times and then just throw away the rest after that.

We did this at first. They just keep coming.

I don’t feel comfortable just throwing away mail from the IRS and not addressing it. Clearly something is going on. I don’t want someone using my home address to conduct business or commit fraud or whatever is doing on. I don’t want the IRS to escalate whatever is going on and drag me into it either.

I had something similar happen too. And I did get in contact with someone (this wasn't the IRS). They said even though they had received my notices they still had to keep sending them because it was the only address they had. I wasn't responsible for the bill and she advised to throw them away in future. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[tacokick]

Sept 12, 2021 22:16:16 GMT -5 sarahbear said:

Sept 12, 2021 21:46:15 GMT -5 tacokick said:

We did this at first. They just keep coming.

I don’t feel comfortable just throwing away mail from the IRS and not addressing it. Clearly something is going on. I don’t want someone using my home address to conduct business or commit fraud or whatever is doing on. I don’t want the IRS to escalate whatever is going on and drag me into it either.

I had something similar happen too. And I did get in contact with someone (this wasn't the IRS). They said even though they had received my notices they still had to keep sending them because it was the only address they had. I wasn't responsible for the bill and she advised to throw them away in future. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Thanks! I just can’t see the IRS giving up. They clearly want to make contact and the letters keep escalating in frequency and in tone.

It’s very puzzling why they don’t seem to read my responses despite bluntly demanding an answer/response and implying action if the “business” doesn’t comply and reply by a certain date.

If it was just some random business or person sending the mail that would be an entirely different situation.

[al dente]

Have you googled the business? Idk what to do after that though. Maybe let them know you got some mail for them? Lol.

[al dente]

tacokick huh so weird! I figured you probably had but thought I'd throw it out anyways.

[user]

I would contact your federal representatives (member of the House or one of your Senators) and ask their office to look into it. They will have someone in the office who regularly helps constituents with issues dealing with the IRS and should be able to help. (I used to work for a member of the House).

[wanderingback]

It seems like you’ve done enough (way more than I would have), so I personally would do nothing further and would throw the mail away and not give it another thought. Since it doesn’t have your name on it I personally wouldn’t worry about identity theft but it doesn’t hurt to continue to keep an eye on your credit by checking every 3 months through the free services.

[DeeDee]

I would stop opening them since it is a federal crime to open mail not addressed to you. Just put return to sender on it and send it back.

[jc2009]

I'd send the letter you have written by fax. IRS receives things faster by fax. Anyway, once you've done that, I'd just ignore. The IRS is so far behind that it will take a while for it to be addressed by them.

[circa1978]

With love, I really would stop stressing.
Even if it is really the IRS, it is not addressed to you, it's not for you. Just because it comes to your house doesn't mean you are responsible for it or the IRS is going to come knocking saying, well we couldn't find these people but this is the address on file, pay up! You've done everything you can to assist. If you aren't comfortable just throwing it away, write return no sender not at this address and ignore from there.


ETA: Since you aren't getting other mail related to this, I doubt someone is using your address but you could always report it directly to the post office as fraud? about.usps.com/publications/pub300a/pub300a_v04_revision_072019_tech_024.htm

[Deleted]

I agree with return to sender.

You could inform the post office, they may be able to return it as undeliverable

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 5:59:59 GMT -5 user said:

I would contact your federal representatives (member of the House or one of your Senators) and ask their office to look into it. They will have someone in the office who regularly helps constituents with issues dealing with the IRS and should be able to help. (I used to work for a member of the House).

That’s a good idea. I didn’t think of that!

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 6:17:28 GMT -5 DeeDee said:

I would stop opening them since it is a federal crime to open mail not addressed to you. Just put return to sender on it and send it back.

It’s not if it is addressed to your address. This is. I’m not breaking into other people’s mailboxes and stealing and reading their mail.

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 7:07:35 GMT -5 @stevia said:

I agree with return to sender.

You could inform the post office, they may be able to return it as undeliverable

This has not worked at all and the post office says all they can do is return it.

I think they must owe money, putting return to sender is a common trick for people trying to get out of paying debts or other legal issues. I still get someone’s jury summons who lived in our house 16 years ago and doing return to sender does nothing.

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 6:33:11 GMT -5 jc2009 said:

I'd send the letter you have written by fax. IRS receives things faster by fax. Anyway, once you've done that, I'd just ignore. The IRS is so far behind that it will take a while for it to be addressed by them.

I have faxed once but 99.9% of the letters don’t give a fax number and say to reply by mail.

[Deleted]

Sept 13, 2021 8:18:19 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Sept 13, 2021 6:17:28 GMT -5 DeeDee said:

I would stop opening them since it is a federal crime to open mail not addressed to you. Just put return to sender on it and send it back.

It’s not if it is addressed to your address. This is. I’m not breaking into other people’s mailboxes and stealing and reading their mail.

No, I think even if it's not your name.

Like I technically shouldn't open my husband's mail.

[madringal]

Couple of things, does the business name or the IRS mailings give any indication of how the business is organized, (i,e, LLC, Inc)? Almost all states have a business entity search function on their websites that tell you about business that are filed in the state. And most businesses have to register with them in order to file state tax returns. If you are able to search your state site it should give you a little more information about the business (or at the very least the name of the person that registered the business). And calling your state's revenue department and getting ahold of someone is likely easier than calling the IRS.

Another option would be to call your county. Businesses that don't register with the state will usually file with the local county.

And finally, calling your state's Attorney General office could also be an option. Not sure what they can do, but they might have some advice.

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 6:15:39 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

It seems like you’ve done enough (way more than I would have), so I personally would do nothing further and would throw the mail away and not give it another thought. Since it doesn’t have your name on it I personally wouldn’t worry about identity theft but it doesn’t hurt to continue to keep an eye on your credit by checking every 3 months through the free services.

In the beginning my thought was that if it is an actual company, they are apparently in increasing trouble with the IRS and not receiving their mail. It seemed like the right thing to do to contact the IRS so they could receive these notices as they are the only way the IRS contacts you. I never dreamed the IRS would ignore the responses and keep sending them from all over the country.


I’m not terribly worried about identity theft but it does seem like someone is using my address to conduct business or there is some long running confusion here. I think last year and in 2019 we got a few other pieces of generic looking non IRS mail addressed to the weird titles that are sometimes on the letters but just tossed it because we thought it was junk mail. I freelance and often get some odd mail that seems business related but is really a strange pitch so I didn’t think anything of it but in looking back, they were addressed to the same odd title some of the IRS letters are.

Then the IRS mail started. They are most often addressed on the envelope generically to “taxpayer” so I have to open them to see if they are for me or this “business”.

Using my address and the TIN they have attached to it, they could open bank accounts and take out loans. I don’t want any issues with any of that to come back to me too. Why else would you have mail sent to some address you know isn’t yours?


I just don’t think we live in a world where you can ignore things and hope they go away.

[puppylove64]

Have you looked up the business on your states Secretary of State business search? You might be able to find another address or some officers names

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 8:33:58 GMT -5 @stevia said:

Sept 13, 2021 8:18:19 GMT -5 tacokick said:

It’s not if it is addressed to your address. This is. I’m not breaking into other people’s mailboxes and stealing and reading their mail.

No, I think even if it's not your name.

Like I technically shouldn't open my husband's mail.

USPS literally told me to open the mail and call the IRS to help track down the recipient.

Often there isn’t even a name on the envelopes, just my address or “tax payer” and my address and the return address of the IRS. I have a reasonable expectation to think mail delivered to my house with my correct address on it is for me. I also want mail that’s actually for me from the IRS to arrive. There is a taxpayer living here, just not one who is involved in this business.

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 9:45:35 GMT -5 mofongo said:

I am with those saying to just drop it and return to sender. I don’t think you have anything to be worried about, it’s not yours.

Part of the issue is that the envelope is the mail often addressed generically to “tax payer” at my address. I do live here and pay taxes and would like to get IRS mail that is for me. I have to open it to see it isn’t for me but this weird business. It’s not like I want all mail from the IRS to stop, just this.

[Deleted]

Sept 13, 2021 9:58:35 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Sept 13, 2021 9:45:35 GMT -5 mofongo said:

I am with those saying to just drop it and return to sender. I don’t think you have anything to be worried about, it’s not yours.

Part of the issue is that the envelope is mail often addressed generically to “tax payer” at my address. I do live here and pay taxes and would like to get IRS mail that is for me. I have to open it and then see it isn’t for me but this weird business. It’s not like I want all mail from the IRS to stop, just this.

Then just pitch it if it's not for you and carry on

[rubytue]

How long have you lived there? Was the previous owner a CPA or something similar? I know some consulting types that run businesses out of their home addresses, even weird shit.

FWIW, I get why you want to get the IRS to unlink your address from this apparent debt. I’d be worried they would end up putting a lien on my property.

Also, thanks for the mail opening discussion. I was handwriting over mail we were getting at our address and labeled “to all potential heirs…” No name. It was like 3-4 a week. Finally opened one and it was a lawyer trying to contact heirs about a timeshare 😂

[Aloe Vera]

If you trust someone enough here, PM them the name of the business only (your address is irrelevant as this is clearly not their real business address) and let them do some internet sleuthing.

ETA: how long have you lived at this address?

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 10:02:35 GMT -5 rubytue said:

How long have you lived there? Was the previous owner a CPA or something similar? I know some consulting types that run businesses out of their home addresses, even weird shit.

FWIW, I get why you want to get the IRS to unlink your address from this apparent debt. I’d be worried they would end up putting a lien on my property.

Also, thanks for the mail opening discussion. I was handwriting over mail we were getting at our address and labeled “to all potential heirs…” No name. It was like 3-4 a week. Finally opened one and it was a lawyer trying to contact heirs about a timeshare 😂

I’ve been here since 2005. The previous owners were a retired couple who were here for about 5 years. Prior to that it was the original owners from the 1930s who were actually the grandparents of my neighbors! So I don’t think it is related to any of them.

Yes, I am worried the IRS (or other debt agency) could put a lien on my property. It’s clear from the letters they have filed taxes at some point using my address and owe the IRS some sort of money.

I’m surprised by the “ignore it and it will go away” answers. I don’t know of any situation where that turns out well especially when it comes to the IRS. It’s not like I want to devote so much time and effort to this but shutting it down before it could escalate seems like common sense to me.

[DeeDee]

Sept 13, 2021 8:18:19 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Sept 13, 2021 6:17:28 GMT -5 DeeDee said:

I would stop opening them since it is a federal crime to open mail not addressed to you. Just put return to sender on it and send it back.

It’s not if it is addressed to your address. This is. I’m not breaking into other people’s mailboxes and stealing and reading their mail.

If it doesn’t have your name you can’t open it. It doesn’t matter what the address is. 

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 10:13:28 GMT -5 Aloe Vera said:

If you trust someone enough here, PM them the name of the business only (your address is irrelevant as this is clearly not their real business address) and let them do some internet sleuthing.

ETA: how long have you lived at this address?

I’ve been here for 16 years. The house is old but only has had two previous owners, the original ones must be dead and the people we bought it from were already retired and I believe have died as well. They were quite elderly.

Literally zero results come up on Google when I search the name. Google suggests I use other terms to complete the search.

I do have access to some other data bases throughout my work and nothing comes up there either. It’s really a nonsensical fake sounding name. Like what a child would come up with for a story using a lot of “business” words.

I mean, I’m happy for the help but the fact that it doesn’t seem to exist is part of the mystery.

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 10:25:06 GMT -5 DeeDee said:

Sept 13, 2021 8:18:19 GMT -5 tacokick said:

It’s not if it is addressed to your address. This is. I’m not breaking into other people’s mailboxes and stealing and reading their mail.

If it doesn’t have your name you can’t open it. It doesn’t matter what the address is. 

It’s addressed to “tax payer” at my address, I am a tax payer at my address. It is from the IRS. It’s more than reasonable to think the mail is for me. I don’t know it is about this “business” and not about my own taxes until I open it. I’m sorry to disappoint you but I’m not breaking the law here.

As I said previously, I am literally doing what the USPS told me to do.

[tacokick]

Sept 13, 2021 10:02:13 GMT -5 @stevia said:

Sept 13, 2021 9:58:35 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Part of the issue is that the envelope is mail often addressed generically to “tax payer” at my address. I do live here and pay taxes and would like to get IRS mail that is for me. I have to open it and then see it isn’t for me but this weird business. It’s not like I want all mail from the IRS to stop, just this.

Then just pitch it if it's not for you and carry on

My concern is that the IRS clearly wants money from these people and has connected this debt to my address. I do not want a lien placed on my home or other legal issues to occur related to this. The letters are increasingly demanding. Ignoring the IRS and hoping it goes away doesn’t seem like an option. They don’t seem to read (or accept? believe?) my responses yet continue to send these escalating letters. It’s not like I want to deal with this but it does seem likely they will take some action to get their money at some point.

[Aloe Vera]

I totally understand why you're trying to get this resolved tacokick. You're correct that if this is legit, the IRS won't give up and I wouldn't want my address to be tied to this fake business either.
Keep reporting to their fraud department and I would contact your local rep. and see if they can help.