CBP warned importers about scams targeting IEEPA refund claims
CBP title: Best Practices for Protecting Your Information Regarding IEEPA Refunds
This message is from May 7, 2026. Later CSMS messages may have changed it. See the latest trade news
What did CBP announce?
CBP announced that scammers may try to obtain personal, company, or banking information from importers by falsely offering to file IEEPA duty refunds on their behalf. CBP said the only valid way to request an IEEPA refund is a CAPE Declaration filed through the verified ACE Secure Data Portal. CBP said it will not ask for sensitive information such as Social Security numbers or passwords by email or text, and listed warning signs of phishing attempts.
What is Allied's position?
This guidance still applies because CBP continues to process IEEPA refunds only through CAPE Declarations in the ACE Portal. We do not ask clients for banking or personal details by email or text, and we file refund requests only through the official ACE system. Clients should ignore unsolicited offers to file IEEPA refunds and should contact us directly if they receive suspicious messages about their entries.
General information, not legal advice.
What does the CBP message say?
With the launch of the Consolidated Administration and Processing of Entries (CAPE), CBP expects that scammers will attempt to use social media, email, and other communication methods to secure account information from importers in order to interfere with the process of refunding International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) duties.
Don’t get scammed! Don’t be a victim!
• If someone you do not know tells you they will file for an IEEPA refund on your behalf if you provide them with your personal information, company information, or banking information, this may be a scam. Only provide such information to trusted and validated parties.
• Using verified accounts through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Secure Data Portal, filing a CAPE Declaration is the only way to submit a request for an IEEPA refund. Do not enter any information into a website other than ACE that claims to process IEEPA refunds.
• CBP will generally not request sensitive information to process IEEPA refunds, such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or passwords, via email or text message. If you receive a request for additional information from CBP to verify your identity, check that the request is from an official CBP email address (all CBP email addresses end in “@cbp.dhs.gov”).
Watch out for:
• Requests for personal or financial information
• Offers of refunds in exchange for data
• Unsolicited emails, calls, or texts
• Pressure to act quickly
• Poor grammar, spelling errors, or suspicious links in solicitation emails
Protect your information—
• Ensure ACE account owner information is accurate and up to date.
• Do not respond to unsolicited emails about IEEPA refunds. CBP will not independently schedule reports to be delivered to users’ e-mail addresses. If trade users schedule ACE reports to be run and provided via email, reports will be provided from the following CBP email address: bobjadm@cbp.dhs.gov. (mailto:bobjadm@cbp.dhs.gov.)
• Beware of phishing attempts: If you receive emails claiming to be from CBP regarding CAPE refund reports, verify the sender (all CBP email addresses end in “@cbp.dhs.gov”) and do not click on any links or attachments that have not been sent by CBP.
• Never share sensitive information: Do not provide personal or financial information in response to emails regarding CAPE refund reports or IEEPA refunds unless it is from a CBP email address (“@cbp.dhs.gov”).
• Use official channels: Always use official CBP email addresses for any questions or concerns.
• Report suspicious activity: If you receive suspicious emails or communications, report them to IEEPAFraud@cbp.dhs.gov (mailto:IEEPAFraud@cbp.dhs.gov)
• The DHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) also investigates fraudulent allegations by submitting a complaint through the DHS OIG Hotline (https://hotline.oig.dhs.gov/#step-1).