IRS Scam

An IRS scam occurs when someone contacts you, pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They falsely claim that you owe taxes and must pay immediately to avoid serious penalties. It’s important to be aware of common tactics used by scammers so you can protect yourself and your loved ones.

Scammers often use aggressive tactics such as yelling at or insulting you, threatening deportation, arrest, or jail. They might send a bill through the U.S. Postal Service to inform you that you owe taxes, but they will also attempt to collect payment via email, text messages, or social media. Additionally, they may offer a chance to appeal the taxes owed or request payment in the form of gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or wire transfers. Some may even direct you to make payments directly to the United States Treasury.

It’s essential to understand that the IRS will never do the following:

• Call to demand immediate payment by gift card, prepaid debit card, or wire transfer.
• Threaten to involve local police or law enforcement to have you arrested or deported for nonpayment.
• Demand payment without giving you the chance to question or appeal the amount you owe.
• Contact you via email, text, or social media to request personal or financial information like PINs, passwords, or bank account details.

If you believe you owe taxes or are unsure, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040. If you suspect an IRS scam, report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484, and also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at FTC.gov/complaint.

If you receive an email claiming to be from the IRS, do not open any attachments or click on any links in the message. Instead, forward the email to phishing@irs.gov.