IRS updates FAQ on Notice CP53E following concerns, confusion
May 25, 2026
The IRS updated its FAQ webpage on Notice CP53E with answers to four more questions, including how to determine if the QR code on the notice is legitimate.
The IRS created the CP53E notice before the most recent filing season as part of the transition from paper checks to electronic payments and deposits ordered by President Donald Trump in Executive Order 14247.
As of March, an estimated 1.4 million taxpayers had received the notice, according to a letter from the House Ways and Means Committee. The notices caused some accounting firms to warn of possible fraud, with the QR code among the parts raising suspicions.
In the updated FAQ, the IRS addressed that concern by advising taxpayers who use a link or QR code to look for a lock icon or “https://” at the start of the URL and to make sure the address ends in “.gov.” The agency also added three new questions and answers to its FAQ. Read more.
