When tax season rolls around, scammers often reach out pretending to be IRS employees to get your information. But does the IRS call or text? The first point of contact from the IRS is almost always through regular mail sent by the United States Postal Service. If you receive unsolicited messages by phone or text from someone claiming to be from the agency, find out what to do next.
“Your federal return was rejected — but don’t worry, I’m with the IRS, and I can help fix the problem. I just need your Social Security number to get started."
If you've ever received a text or phone call like this, it was certainly a scammer on the other end of the line.
This time of year, when taxpayers are filing their returns and anticipating refunds, scammers see an opportunity to pose as agents from the IRS.
They may be looking to use tax season to steal your personal information like your Social Security number (SSN) or attempting to trick you into sending them money directly for “debt you owe.”
How common are these imposter scams? The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received thousands of government impersonation fraud reports in 2022, which led to over $240 million in losses.
This year, the tax filing deadline for most Americans is April 15. Until then, be on the lookout for red flags.
How to identify and avoid IRS impersonation scams
First things first: know that any call or text from someone claiming to be from the IRS is likely a scam.
“The IRS or Social Security office does not typically call people, unless you have requested a call from them — and usually not even then,” says Patricia Krentz, Restoration Specialist at Allstate Identity Protection. “If there is a problem with your tax return, the IRS will send you a letter.”
However, these phone scams can be quite convincing. Fraudsters often spoof a phone number so that “IRS,” “Internal Revenue Service,” or another government agency may show up on your caller ID.
IRS impersonators may also reach out by:
Text message: According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), texting was the third most popular method of contact for scammers in 2023. Scam texts often contain a clickable link leading to a malicious site that infects your device with malware or spyware. These bogus texts may also include a fake phone number that instructs you to call regarding an issue with your tax return. In reality, calling the number will lead you straight to a scammer.
Email: Phishing emails can also harbor links to malicious sites or attachments. In one common IRS email scam, an IRS impersonator sends the victim a fake “tax transcript” or “tax receipt,” prompting them to keep the files for their records but it's actually a piece of malware designed to spread through your network. Emails can be particularly convincing because scammers often fabricate official-looking email addresses and signatures.
Door-to-door: One of the more traditional scamming tactics, a fraudster may pretend to be an agent knocking on your door to collect overdue taxes. If a taxpayer has an overdue tax bill or an unfiled (or delinquent) tax return, there is a chance that a revenue officer with the IRS would follow up in person. However, that would only happen after multiple letters, also known as “notices”, have been sent by mail. Legitimate revenue officers carry two forms of identification: IRS-issued credentials (also called a pocket commission) and an HSPD-12 card (view a visual here), so be sure to ask for identification should an agent come to your door.
Snail mail: When the IRS needs to communicate with taxpayers, they send a letter via USPS. Unfortunately, scammers can use snail mail too. So how do you distinguish between a real letter and a fake? “You can typically find a sample letter from that agency on the IRS website,” explains Krentz. “Compare the sample letter to the one you received to verify its authenticity before taking any action; the sample letter should be identical to the one you received with the exception of your information that has been added.”
Social media: In recent years, IRS scams have started infiltrating social media platforms. In some cases, a fraudster may impersonate an internal revenue officer on social media, messaging with phishing links and requests for personal information. They may say they’ve tried contacting the victim through other channels with no success.
Red flags of an IRS scam
No matter the method of contact, these are the red flags of IRS imposter scams:
Unsolicited outreach: The IRS will typically initiate contact with taxpayers by USPS snail mail. “In most cases, you can assume any other outreach is a scam and avoid engaging,” says Krentz.
Urgency and threats: In one common ploy, imposters bait a victim with a tax debt scam call, in which they pretend to be an IRS employee calling to collect delinquent taxes. They may use scare tactics like threatening jail time or deportation if the fee isn’t paid immediately. The IRS will never use scare tactics or threats in communication.
Demands for risky forms of payment: Scammers typically require fees to be paid by wire, prepaid gift card, prepaid debit card, or through a peer-to-peer payment app like Venmo or Zelle. The IRS will never ask for payment in this way.
Not sure if you owe taxes?
Don’t take an IRS imposter’s word for it. Instead, contact the IRS directly. There are two ways to do so:
Head to irs.gov/payments/your-online-account. The IRS provides instructions for setting up an online account if you don't already have one.
Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. Keep in mind that it may be difficult to reach a representative while tax season is in full swing.
How to report an IRS scam
Imposter scams are among the top causes of fraud every year. If you think you’ve fallen victim to one, what should you do next?
If you’re an Allstate Identity Protection member, our identity specialists are on call 24/7 to help guide you through the next steps.
If you have spotted a scam and have not engaged, consider reporting it to help protect others:
File a report with the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
Take a screenshot of a scam text or email it to phishing@irs.gov with the date, time, and time zone in which you received the text, along with your phone number. Do not reply or click on any links.
