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Keep the notice and envelope, verify the sender through official agency resources you reach independently, and note exactly what the letter asks you to do and by when. Then use the process for that specific notice: an IRS tax adjustment, an SBA identity-theft report, a PPP appeal, and an SBA repayment demand are different matters, and none is automatically proof that you committed fraud.
First, verify the notice and preserve the record
- Save everything. Keep the letter, envelope, inserts, and any related email or text. Scan or copy every page.
- Check who sent it and what it concerns. Record the agency, program (such as the Employee Retention Credit, or ERC; Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP; or COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan, or COVID EIDL), tax period or loan identifier, date received, requested action, and response date.
- Verify independently. Go to IRS.gov or SBA.gov by typing the address yourself, then use the agency’s notice or program guidance to check the communication and find the appropriate contact route. Do not rely only on a phone number, QR code, payment link, or email address in a suspicious message. An SBA logo alone does not establish that a webpage is accurate or endorsed by the agency.
- Keep a response file. Save copies of anything you send, note when and how you sent it, and keep a dated record of calls and other contacts. The IRS advises taxpayers to retain copies of correspondence and contact records.
A genuine government letter is possible: the IRS sends notices by mail and instructs recipients to follow the particular letter’s directions. Conversely, a convincing-looking message can be a scam. Unexpected threats, demands for immediate payment, or requests for sensitive information deserve independent verification—not an assumption either way.
Which process applies to your situation?
| Process | What triggers it | Time limit or route | What it addresses |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRS notice response | An IRS letter about a tax return, examination, adjustment, or ERC claim | Follow the deadline and submission method in that notice; no single deadline applies to all IRS letters (IRS notice guidance). | The tax issue identified in the letter. |
| SBA identity-theft submission | Someone used your identity to obtain SBA funding without your permission | Use the current submission routes on SBA’s fraud or identity-theft page; the page’s listed routes may vary by program. | Reported unauthorized use of your identity in an SBA funding application or loan. |
| SBA Office of Inspector General (OIG) complaint | You want to report suspected fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or misconduct involving an SBA program or personnel | Submit a complaint through the SBA OIG Hotline; no deadline is stated in its complaint guidance. | Information for OIG review; it does not respond to a notice addressed to you. |
| Lender dispute or PPP appeal | A PPP lender decision, or a qualifying final SBA loan review decision | Contact the lender about its decision. For a qualifying final SBA decision, file through the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) portal within 30 calendar days after receiving the decision. | OHA does not hear appeals of lender decisions; it reviews qualifying final SBA loan review decisions. |
| SBA repayment or demand letter | SBA seeks recovery of a pandemic-relief loan amount | Use the response method and deadline in the particular demand letter; no universal deadline is stated for all such letters. | The amount SBA seeks to recover and the response or repayment process specified in the letter. |
If the notice is from the IRS, respond to that letter
IRS processes depend on the notice number, tax issue, and year. Check the notice using the IRS’s official notice resources, then follow its directions for responding or providing documents. If you need clarification, use contact information independently verified through IRS.gov. Do not assume instructions for one notice apply to another.
If it concerns the Employee Retention Credit
The ERC is claimed on a federal employment tax return. Eligibility depends on the relevant period and the employer’s circumstances; an ERC notice or review does not by itself establish intentional fraud. The IRS says incorrect claims may need to be repaid and may involve penalties and interest. Check the period and claim at issue, preserve the supporting records, and respond under the letter’s stated procedure. The IRS’s ERC guidance explains eligibility and claim concerns.
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If someone used your identity to obtain SBA funding
SBA’s identity-theft process calls for three items:
- A copy of photo identification.
- An Identity Theft Report filed through IdentityTheft.gov or local police.
- A completed and signed SBA Declaration of Identity Theft.
SBA lists several ways to submit these materials, including Loan Portal upload and program-specific email routes, as well as fax and mail options. Check SBA’s current fraud or identity-theft page for the correct route before sending identity documents; do not assume an address or email channel from an old message is still valid.
If you need to report suspected SBA fraud
The SBA OIG Hotline accepts reports about suspected fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or misconduct involving SBA programs or personnel. A useful report identifies the program and, if known, the subject’s identifying or contact information; describes what happened, its scope, and timeframe; and includes relevant supporting documents.
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You do not have to provide personally identifying information to complain, but an anonymous report may be harder to process. Reporting suspected misconduct to OIG is separate from answering an SBA notice addressed to you: if you received a demand or other letter, follow that letter’s response process as well.
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A lender made the decision
SBA OHA does not hear appeals of lender decisions. Contact the lender about its decision and ask it to explain the decision and any available review route.
SBA issued a final loan review decision
For a qualifying final SBA loan review decision, the borrower has 30 calendar days after receiving it to file a PPP appeal through the OHA appeals portal at appeals.sba.gov. This is a specific deadline for that appeal—not a general deadline for SBA letters. SBA asks for a copy of the decision, a full and specific explanation supported by facts and legal arguments, and contact information for the borrower or counsel. To extend loan deferment through OHA’s final decision, the borrower must give the lender a copy of the appeal. SBA describes the process as an overview, so follow the applicable procedural rule and any OHA order.
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If SBA is demanding repayment
Read the demand letter promptly and identify the amount sought, how SBA says to respond or repay, and the stated deadline. SBA OIG’s September 16, 2026 announcement about Operation NO DOZE says each notice identifies the amount SBA seeks to recover and provides instructions and an opportunity to repay or otherwise respond through the process in the letter. Do not substitute the PPP appeal deadline for the demand letter’s own instructions.
The announcement says that an untimely failure to resolve a demand may lead to Treasury collection and possible administrative, civil, or criminal referral. It also reported that 870,000 U.S. borrowers were tied to an estimated $39 billion in suspected pandemic-era PPP and COVID EIDL activity. That agency announcement concerns suspected activity across borrowers; it does not establish that any particular recipient committed fraud.
If the communication is a scam or your information was exposed
If you paid a suspected scammer or shared personal information, stop communicating with them and do not send more money or information. Contact your financial institution if an account or payment method may be affected, and follow the recovery steps at IdentityTheft.gov. For tax-related identity theft, the IRS also recommends reporting it, considering a report to your state tax agency, setting up an IRS account, and obtaining an Identity Protection PIN. Be wary of anyone who promises to recover your money; people who have already been targeted may be targeted again.
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For a suspicious IRS email, do not reply, click links, or open attachments. The IRS directs recipients to forward phishing emails to [email protected]. Reporting instructions differ for email, text, social media, websites, phone calls, and mail, so consult the current IRS page on reporting fake IRS, Treasury, or tax-related messages for the right route.
When to get professional help
Consider speaking with a qualified tax professional or attorney if the notice involves a complex IRS examination, potential ERC repayment with penalties or interest, a substantial SBA demand, or a PPP appeal that requires legal arguments. A professional can help interpret the particular document and organize a response, but the notice’s deadline remains important while you seek advice. For a straightforward scam report or identity-theft submission, start with the free official agency steps above.
Quick Recap
Official guidance to check
- IRS: “If you were scammed” for notice verification, recordkeeping, scam response, and tax identity-theft steps.
- SBA: “Report fraud or identity theft” for identity-theft documents and current submission routes.
- IRS: “Employee Retention Credit” for ERC eligibility and claim guidance.
- SBA OIG Hotline for complaint scope and submission guidance.
- SBA OHA: “PPP appeals” for the qualifying decision types, filing deadline, and appeal requirements.
- SBA OIG: “Operation NO DOZE,” announced September 16, 2026, for current pandemic-loan demand-letter information.
- IRS: “Report fake IRS, Treasury or tax-related emails and messages” for reporting instructions by contact method.
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