You have probably received a suspicious call from someone impersonating an IRS representative—robocalls are a frequent scam. There have been reports of impersonations occurring by phone, email and in person. Their tactics often confuse and overwhelm victims scaring them into making payment. It is important to know what the IRS will not and will do when attempting to contact you so that you do not fall victim to these scams.
The IRS will not:
- Call and demand immediate payment.
- Require you to pay taxes without an option to appeal.
- Threaten to call law enforcement officers or have you arrested.
- Ask you to make payment to any entity other than the “United States Treasury.”
The IRS will:
- Contact you via mail through the United States Postal Service.
- Provide you with identification. If an IRS official visits you, they will provide you with two forms of identification – a pocket commission and an HSPD-12 card.
- IRS employees may call to schedule appointments, but not without notifying you by mail first.
Report Scams
If you believe you have been approached by someone impersonating an IRS agent or received communication that is fraudulent, you can contact:
- IRS Scam Reporting via the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s website or call (800) 366-4484.
- Report phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission using the FTC Complaint Assistant and add “IRS phone scam” in the report notes.
- Report email scams to phishing@irs.gov.
Beware of anyone reporting to be from the IRS demanding payments. For a list of recent scams and consumer alerts visit: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scams-consumer-alerts
If you owe the IRS money and need help navigating the process, please contact us.