Tax Season IRS Tips for Scams

With tax season upon us, the time for tax phishing and phone scams are also upon us. The IRS has already put out several reminders for individuals to be aware of bad actors trying to take advantage of this season to gain access to your personal data and finances. Below are some tips and guidance taken directly from the IRS’ website, including associated links. Remember, the IRS does not initially, key word initially, reach out or contact taxpayers by email, text messages, or social media channels. This includes requests for personal identification information, PINS, passwords, or similar access information for credit cards, banks, or other financial accounts.

The IRS will never:

• Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes.
• Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
• Demand that taxes be paid without giving taxpayers the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
• Call unexpectedly about a tax refund.

Taxpayers who receive these phone calls should:

• Record the number and then hang up the phone immediately.
• Report the call to TIGTA using their IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting form or by calling 800-366-4484.
• Report the number to phishing@irs.gov and be sure to put “IRS Phone Scam” in the subject line.

What to do if you receive a suspicious IRS-related email

If you receive an email claiming to be from the IRS that contains a request for personal information, taxes associated with a large investment, inheritance, or lottery.

1. Don’t reply.
2. Don’t open any attachments. They can contain malicious code that may infect your computer or mobile phone.
3. Don’t click on any links. Visit our identity protection page if you clicked on links in a suspicious email or website and entered confidential information.
4. Forward – preferably with the full email headers – the email as-is to us at phishing@irs.gov. Don’t forward scanned images because this removes valuable information.
5. Delete the original email.

What to do if you receive a suspicious IRS-related telephone call

IRS impersonation telephone calls – as well as other types of unwanted calls (e.g., telemarketing robocalls, fake grants, tech support, sweepstakes winnings, etc.) remain popular scams. Blocking these types of calls is one strategy taxpayers should consider. Easy to install call blocking software for smartphones is available. While the IRS does not endorse any solution or brand, a limited sample of the available options are:

• Consumer Reports
• Consumer’s Union
• CTIA

If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS but you suspect they are not an IRS employee:

• View your tax account information online or review their payment options at IRS.gov to see the actual amount owed
• If the caller is an IRS employee with a legitimate need to contact you, please call them back using the appropriate online resources

If the individual is not an IRS employee and does not have a legitimate need to contact you and regardless of whether you were a victim of the scam or not, report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement agencies:

• If IRS-related, please report to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) via their online complaint form.
• If Treasury-related, please report to the Office of the Treasury Inspector General (TIG) via OIGCounsel@oig.treas.gov

Please report IRS or Treasury-related fraudulent calls to phishing@irs.gov (Subject: IRS Phone Scam).

For any fraudulent call, after listening to the message, do not provide any information and hang up. When you report the fraudulent call, please include:

• The telephone number of the caller (e.g., Caller ID)
• The telephone number you were instructed to call back
• A brief description of the communication

If possible, please include:

• The employee name
• The employee badge number
• The exact date and time that you received the call(s)
• The geographic location and time zone where you received the call if possible

In addition, please consider filing a complaint with the:

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC) via their online complaint form
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) by visiting the Consumer Complaint Center. Consumers should select the “phone” form and then the “Unwanted Calls” under “Phone Issues”, and provide details of the call in the description of their complaint
• Your local Attorney General’s office via their consumer complaint form (the reporting mechanism will vary by state)

How do I verify contact from the IRS?

Go to IRS.gov and search on the letter, notice, or form number. Please be aware fraudsters often modify legitimate IRS letters and forms. You can also find information at Understanding Your Notice or Letter or by searching Forms and Instructions. For additional information please see “How to know it’s really the IRS calling or knocking on your door”.

If it is legitimate, you’ll find instructions on how to respond. If the completion of a form is required and it’s provided by a questionable contact, you should verify the form is identical to the same form on IRS.gov by searching Forms and Instructions.

If you don’t find information on our website or the instructions are different from what you were told to do in the letter, notice or form, please use the appropriate online resources.

Once you have determined that it is not legitimate, report the incident to TIGTA and to us at phishing@irs.gov.