North Dakota Tax Commissioner Warns of Phishing Scam

Residents urged to be vigilant against fraudulent text messages claiming to be from the state's Department of Revenue.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 4:55pm

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North Dakota Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus is warning residents about a phishing scam involving text messages that appear to be from the state's Department of Revenue, requesting information about a supposed tax refund. Kroshus advises citizens to ignore these messages and contact the department directly using verified contact information to confirm legitimacy.

Why it matters

Phishing scams that impersonate government agencies or financial institutions are becoming increasingly common, putting citizens at risk of identity theft and financial fraud. By alerting the public to this particular scam, the tax commissioner aims to empower North Dakotans to protect themselves from falling victim to such deceptive practices.

The details

The text messages claim that the recipient has a tax refund that has been processed and approved, and asks them to provide sensitive information. Kroshus warns that these messages are part of a phishing scheme and should be ignored. He advises residents to always verify the legitimacy of any communication from a government agency by contacting them directly using contact information from an official website, rather than responding to or clicking on links within the suspicious message.

  • The text messages were reported to the North Dakota Department of Revenue on January 27, 2026.

The players

Brian Kroshus

The North Dakota Tax Commissioner, who issued the warning about the phishing scam.

North Dakota Department of Revenue

The state agency that the phishing scam is impersonating in an attempt to defraud residents.

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What they’re saying

“Phishing schemes, including ones posing as financial institutions or government agencies are unfortunately becoming more and more common and citizens need to remain vigilant. Be alert for text messages, emails or phone calls designed to create a sense of urgency, especially those that ask for sensitive information and never click on a suspicious link or call using a phone number contained in them.”

— Brian Kroshus, North Dakota Tax Commissioner

“Whenever in doubt, contact the applicable agency to verify whether it's legitimate using a phone number obtained from an official government website.”

— Brian Kroshus, North Dakota Tax Commissioner

What’s next

The North Dakota Department of Revenue is working to raise awareness about the scam and encourage residents to be vigilant in protecting their personal information.

The takeaway

This phishing scam serves as a reminder for all citizens to be cautious when receiving unsolicited messages, even if they appear to be from government agencies or financial institutions. Verifying the legitimacy of any such communication is crucial to avoiding falling victim to fraud and identity theft.