Scammers pose as the IRS year-round, by phone, email, and text, pressuring people to pay money they don’t owe or to hand over their Social Security number. This guide covers how IRS impersonation scams work, what the real IRS will and won’t do, how to check whether a notice is real, and how to report it. (Names and phone numbers shown are made-up examples.)
IRS and tax-season impostor scams, step by step
!Is that really the IRS calling?
A caller threatening arrest over back taxes, demanding payment right now, is not how the IRS works.
1What the real IRS won’t do on a call
Caller ID can show any name or number, even the words IRS Tax Division. That proves nothing.
2The IRS contacts you by mail first
A real tax issue normally shows up as a letter, before any phone call or visit, not out of nowhere.
3How to check what’s real
Check your actual account at irs.gov, or call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040.
If they ask you to pay
- Gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto — No real IRS bill is ever paid this way
- A link in a text or email — Don’t click it, go to irs.gov yourself instead
- Urgent threats and pressure — Hang up, and verify before you do anything else
Report it, and warn others
- [email protected] — Forward a suspicious tax email or text here
- TIGTA: 1-800-366-4484 — Report an IRS impersonation phone call
- ReportFraud.ftc.gov — File a report with the Federal Trade Commission
- Already shared info or paid? — Call Naples Computers, we’ll help you sort out next steps
Recap: spot IRS and tax-season scams
- The IRS mails you first, before any call or visit
- No gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto, ever
- Check irs.gov or call 1-800-829-1040 yourself
- Report phishing to [email protected], scam calls to TIGTA
- Not sure? Call Naples Computers
Printable quick guide
Frequently asked questions
Does the IRS really call demanding payment by gift card?
No. The IRS will not call to demand immediate payment using a specific method such as a gift card, prepaid debit card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. Any call demanding that is a scam.
What if my caller ID shows “IRS” or a Washington, D.C. area code?
Caller ID can be faked and proves nothing. If you’re not sure a call is real, hang up and call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040, using a number you look up yourself.
Will the IRS really send police to arrest me?
No. The IRS will not threaten to immediately bring in local police or have someone arrested for not paying. That threat alone is a strong sign of a scam.
How do I report an IRS scam call, email, or text?
Forward a suspicious email or text to [email protected]. Report a scam phone call to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1-800-366-4484 or tigta.gov, and file a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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- Check if your email was in a data breach, and what to do
Source: How to know if it’s really the IRS calling or knocking on your door (IRS)