For most taxpayers, a call from the IRS is something they’d rather not get. But this time of year, federal workers are trying to track down a handful of taxpayers with good news — and a check.

The IRS is seeking 285 Maine taxpayers to pay them a total of $267,190, which averages out to $938 apiece.

Just in time for Black Friday.

The news should also make retailers smile.

“We want Maine taxpayers to get this money as soon as possible,” IRS spokeswoman Peggy Riley said in a written statement.

In Androscoggin County, 34 taxpayers are due a total of $33,413. In Franklin and Oxford counties, where 10 or fewer taxpayers are targeted for refunds, no dollar amounts are available, Riley said.

“If you think you’re missing a refund, take a few minutes to go to IRS.gov or call the toll-free IRS refund hot line.” That site is always available, she said.

Once the listed taxpayers have updated their addresses by going to the “Where’s my refund” tool at IRS.org, they should receive checks in the amounts of their refunds, Riley said. They can also call an IRS operator at 1-800-829-1954.

The taxpayers on the list were sent refund checks, but those checks were returned by the postal service. It’s a “very small” percentage of the total number of checks sent out, Riley said.

Taxpayers are urged to have refunds directly deposited to bank accounts to avoid lost, stolen or undeliverable checks, Riley said.

Instead of mailing in tax returns, which can get lost in the mail, taxpayers are urged to file electronically, she said.

Auburn — Andrews, Tabitha R.

Auburn — Bourgoin, Michael A .

Auburn — Caron, Amanda L.

Auburn — Curtis, Darren M.

Auburn — Foss, David S.

Auburn — Johnson, Derek B.

Auburn — Mcallister, Jessica A.

Auburn — Orjales, Rosa

Auburn — Rubino, Chad R.

Bethel — Hughes, Aaron F.

Bridgton — Fitzgibbons, Virginia S.

Bridgton — Littlefield, Winnifred C.

Canton — Stevens, David A.

Denmark — Roy, Helen E.

Dixfield — Tompkins, Clarence T.

Gray — Brown, Mary Jane

Greene — St. Laurent, Nathan L.

Greene — Thibault, Richard D.

Greenwood — Sykes, Susan R.

Kingfield — Winslow, Russell P.

Lewiston — Abdiaziz, Annisa

Lewiston — Ahmed, Alinasir H.

Lewiston — Boulay, Jeremy M.

Lewiston — County, William

Lewiston — Czechalski, Brian E. And Kendra J.

Lewiston — German, Paula F.

Lewiston — Girardin, Joanne M.

Lewiston — Hersi, Halima

Lewiston — Lacroix, Krista N.

Lewiston — Lapalme, Jonathan

Lewiston — Mahamed, Maka

Lewiston — Noddin, Eva L.

Lewiston — Scott Zachary, Nano

Lewiston — Shinio, Yussuf M.

Lisbon — Reynolds, Danijean

Lisbon Falls — Smith, Debbie M.

Livermore — Dube, Michael

Livermore — Labbe, Priscilla J.

Livermore — Tibbetts, Darrell L. And Jessica L.

Naples — Oliver, Timothy J.

Naples — Pelletier, David F.

North Turner — Adame, Manuel And Angelina Ortiz

North Waterford — Starbird, Mark A.

Paris — Loveridge, Stuart And Anne K.

Phillips — Desmarais, Joseph

Poland — Bartlett, Ray E. And Dale L.

Poland — Beliveau, David B.

Raymond — Myers, Vonnalee J.

Roxbury — Knapp, Patrick J.

Rumford — Hodge, William And Barbara

Sebago — Cohen, Gail P. And Stephen C.

South Paris — Fitts, Michael

Turner Theriault — Amy C.

West Farmington — Trexler, Danny And Rhonda Roy Trexler