They offered a refund. They took more than I had.

A voicemail said the tax office owed me a refund and needed a quick confirmation to release it. It sounded like good news wrapped in bureaucracy, not a robbery in progress.

The return call led to someone reading partial details about me—enough to feel personal—then insisting I log in while they stayed on the line or read back one-time codes for "verification."

Refund bait turns excitement into cooperation: they move money while you think you are approving a deposit. By the time fraud alerts fired, several transfers had already slipped through.

I was excited about cash back and trusted the tone of official process. I ignored the mismatch between a huge refund promise and the urgency to share screens.

Push alerts listed withdrawals I never made while the caller still coached me through "clearing a hold." Hanging up and opening the real tax portal showed no pending deposit—that gap was when I knew the call had been theatre.

The guilt of helping them hurt alongside the balance hit, and disputes dragged for months. Even partial recovery did not erase the shame until I talked to others targeted the same week.

I now refuse to screen-share banking or read codes aloud to inbound callers, and I only use tax portals I navigate myself. I wish I had paused the moment they mentioned remote access.

• Tax refunds arrive through normal channels—never through "confirm by remote access."
• Report to IC3 or local police and your bank.

For more help, see our Report a scam page and Spot and avoid scams guide.