You may soon get an IRS letter promising unclaimed tax refunds. It's a scam.

This summer, don't overreact if a cardboard envelope shows up from a delivery service and the letter inside implies the IRS is reaching out to help you snag a tax refund.

The letter uses an IRS masthead but don't be fooled: The agency is not sending out individual notices alerting taxpayers to an “unclaimed refund.”

Like many scams, this one appears pegged to legitimate news. The IRS has said taxpayers must file a 2019 tax return by July 17, if they've not done so already, to get their hands on an unclaimed refund. We are talking about some cool cash, too, maybe $800 or $900 in unclaimed refunds for some people. But again, no one is sending out letters demanding key information from you.

Is there a fake IRS letter going around?

The agency issued a warning that this new scam attempts to trick people into thinking they're owed a refund − and then makes consumers believe they must hand over personal information as the way to get the money.

And yes, these scammers are boldly asking to see your driver's license.

We've alerted people in the past that the IRS isn't going to send you an email about an unclaimed refund. The IRS doesn't start reaching out to taxpayers by email, text or social media regarding a bill or refund.

Don't send scammers a picture of your driver's license

The new scam letter goes so far as to request that you send detailed pictures of your driver's license. Identity thieves use such details to try to open new credit cards in your name or fill out a fake tax return to steal a refund. Your driver's license contains information, such as your birthdate and home address.

Many scams − including this one − offer red flags with awkwardly worded phrasing such as the instructions for how to send a picture of that driver's license.

The scammers, the IRS said, ask that you send: “A Clear Phone of Your Driver’s License That Clearly Displays All Four (4) Angles, Taken in a Place with Good Lighting.”

Yes, the alert says "phone" − not "photo." The IRS calls this another example of a poorly worded request that someone might receive from a scammer.

The letter also asks for even more information, such as your cellphone number, bank routing information, Social Security number and more bank account details.

What's my tax bracket? We break down the answers here.

Could the IRS audit me? What triggers it and what are red flags that increase the chance of being audited

Again, there are oddly worded instructions, even by tax standards: “(You’ll Need to Get This to Get Your Refunds After Filing. These Must Be Given to a Filing Agent Who Will Help You Submit Your Unclaimed Property Claim. Once You Send All The Information Please Try to Be Checking Your Email for Response From The Agents Thanks”

Another red flag: The letter says the deadline for filing tax refunds is Oct. 17. But the IRS notes that the deadline for people who requested an extension for their 2022 tax returns is actually Oct. 16. "And those owed refunds from last year have time beyond that," the IRS said.

The IRS handles tax refunds, the alert said, not “unclaimed property.”

Unclaimed refund cash exists but you need to file tax returns

Nearly 1.5 million people across the nation have unclaimed refunds that add up to about $1.5 billion for the 2019 tax year, and they want to pay attention to a real July 17 deadline.

If you're owed money, you'd have until July 17 to complete and file your 2019 federal income tax return. But, again, you're not going to get any notice sent to you by special delivery.

The IRS says many low- and moderate-income workers who neglected to file a 2019 return may be eligible for as much as $6,557 in credit if they qualified for the Earned Income Tax Credit based on their income for 2019.

Those who could be eligible for the credit in 2019 had incomes below:

Unclaimed taxes: About $1.5 billion in unclaimed refunds awaits for those who haven't filed 2019 returns

• $50,162 ($55,952 if married filing jointly) for those with three or more qualifying children.
• $46,703 ($52,493 if married filing jointly) for people with two qualifying children.
• $41,094 ($46,884 if married filing jointly) for those with one qualifying child.
• $15,570 ($21,370 if married filing jointly) for people without qualifying children.

Under the law, taxpayers usually have three years to file and claim their tax refunds. If they don't file within three years, the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.

It might sound odd to have a July 17 deadline. Back in 2020, taxpayers saw an extended tax deadline that pushed filing tax returns into July of that year instead of April when much was delayed early in the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the three-year window for 2019 unfiled returns is now July 17.

Not everyone actually will get money to spend by filing a return. The IRS can withhold refund checks if you have not filed tax returns for 2020 and 2021.

Any refund due could be applied to amounts still owed to the IRS or a state tax agency and may be used to offset unpaid child support or past-due federal debts.

Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompor: stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @tompor.