IRS Scams: Calls, Texts and Letters That Aren't the IRS

Few calls are as frightening as one that says you owe the IRS money and the police are on their way. That fear is exactly what an IRS scam counts on. Here is how the real IRS contacts people, what it never does, and how to report the fakes.

IRS scams are one kind of government impostor scam. The same rules apply to calls from fake Social Security, Medicare or police officials.

How does the real IRS contact people?

By mail, first. The IRS says it initiates most contacts through regular mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. There are special cases when the IRS will call or visit: for example, when a taxpayer has an overdue tax bill or an unfiled return, or during an audit or criminal investigation. Even then, people generally receive several letters, called “notices,” before anyone calls or knocks.

The IRS also says:

• It doesn’t email you without your permission.
• It doesn’t send text messages without your permission.
• Auditors may call to set up appointments, but not without first trying to notify you by mail.
• Real IRS employees who visit in person carry two forms of official credentials, a pocket commission and an HSPD-12 card, and you have the right to see them.

What do IRS scam calls and texts say?

The IRS says scammers mislead people about refunds, credits and payments, and pressure them for personal, financial or employment information or money. The most common scripts:

• “You owe back taxes.” Pay now or be arrested, deported or lose your license.
• “You have a refund.” Click a link or “verify” your bank account to receive it.
• “Your account is suspended.” Confirm your Social Security number to fix it.
• “Tax debt relief.” Letters offering to settle what you owe, for an upfront fee.

EXAMPLE — SCAM

Today 10:26 AM●●● ▮

# (202) 555-0168 Text message

IRS NOTICE: You are eligible for a federal tax refund of $1,248.60. To receive your payment, verify your identity and direct deposit details within 24 hours: https://irs-refund-claim.example.com

The IRS also warns about odd or misspelled web links that take you to harmful sites instead of IRS.gov.

How can you check if an IRS letter is real?

Don’t use any phone number, link or QR code in the letter itself. Instead:

1. Look it up. The IRS says to verify a letter by searching its list of IRS notices and letters on IRS.gov, which you type into your browser yourself.
2. Check your account. You can sign up to see notices in your IRS online account and check whether you really owe anything.
3. Check how it asks you to pay. The IRS says tax payments go to the “United States Treasury.” It lists official payment options at IRS.gov/payments.

If a letter is about an unclaimed refund, a tax lien, tax debt relief or another offer that seems off, the IRS has instructions for reporting it on its phishing page.

What will the IRS never do?

According to the IRS, it will not:

• Call to demand immediate payment with a specific method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. It generally mails a bill first.
• Demand payment without giving you a chance to question or appeal the amount.
• Threaten to bring in police or immigration officers to arrest you for not paying. It can’t revoke your driver’s license, business licenses or immigration status.
• Call to inform you of a refund.

The FTC adds that no government agency will demand payment by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency or payment app. Anyone who does is a scammer.

Where do you report an IRS impostor?

• Scam phone calls: record the number, hang up and report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) online or at 800-366-4484.
• Scam emails: don’t reply, click links or open attachments. Send the email to phishing@irs.gov with “IRS” in the subject line. The IRS prefers that you save the email and send it as an attachment, because simply forwarding it strips out useful information.
• Scam texts: send the sender’s phone number and the message to phishing@irs.gov with the subject line “Text.”
• Any impostor: report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. See how to contact the FTC.

Our guide to reporting a scam call covers the other agencies scammers impersonate, and our guide to Social Security scams explains a closely related fraud.

If you paid a scammer or shared your Social Security number, act quickly: call your bank, then follow our first-hour checklist after a scam and our steps for identity theft.