IRS scams: how to tell if the call, text or email is fake
Quick answer
The IRS says it doesn't start contact by email, text or social media, and it usually mails a notice first. A message that threatens arrest or demands payment now is a scam. Don't click or call back. Report it to phishing@irs.gov or TIGTA.
- Comes by
- Phone call, Text, Email, Mail, Website
- Pretends to be
- IRS
- Last updated
How it works
Scammers pretend to be the IRS to scare you or to offer money. The IRS warns of fake texts that promise a tax credit or payment, with a link that goes to a lookalike site built to steal personal information.
The common versions:
- Threat calls. A caller says you owe money, spoofs the caller ID, and threatens arrest, a lawsuit or a seizure unless you pay straight away. The FTC says the IRS won't call out of the blue to demand payment, won't require a specific payment method and won't leave a message threatening to sue you.
- Refund or credit texts and emails. A link to 'claim' a refund or credit.
- Identity theft pretexts. A message about a problem with your account or identity, used to collect your Social Security number or logins.
The IRS's advice is to verify the contact, content and context on the real government website.
Red flags
- A call, text or email that claims to be the IRS and you weren't expecting one
- A threat of arrest, a lawsuit or a seized account unless you pay now
- A demand for a specific payment method, or for gift cards
- A link to a site that doesn't begin with www.irs.gov
- A refund, credit or 'stimulus' offer you have to click to claim
- Caller ID that looks like the IRS: it can be faked
Example message
IRS Notice: You are eligible for a tax credit. Claim it now before it expires: [link]
What to do
- 1
Don't click, reply or call back
If you got a call and haven't had a mailed notice about your account, hang up and call the IRS yourself. Don't press numbers during a robocall.
- 2
Check on the real site
Go to irs.gov directly, not through a link in a message.
- 3
If you shared your Social Security number or logins
Change your passwords, turn on two-step verification and consider a credit freeze. See what to do after a data breach.
- 4
If you paid
Contact your bank or card company straight away and say it was fraud. For gift cards, contact the issuer.
- 5
Report it
Forward phishing emails and texts to phishing@irs.gov. Report phone calls and other IRS impersonation to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 800-366-4484, and to the FTC.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
IRS scams work best when the caller knows your name, address or the town you live in. That information is sold by data brokers and people-search sites and leaks in breaches. Serus finds the data brokers and people-search sites that list your details where you live and removes you from them, and alerts you when your email or phone number shows up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
Frequently asked
Does the IRS contact people by text or email?
The IRS says it doesn't start contact by email, text or social media. It usually mails a letter or notice first.
Will the IRS threaten arrest over the phone?
No. The FTC says the IRS won't call out of the blue to demand payment or leave a message threatening to sue.
How do I report a fake IRS message?
Forward emails and texts to phishing@irs.gov. Report calls to TIGTA at 800-366-4484 and to the FTC.
What if I paid?
Call your bank or card issuer right away, then report it. Quick action gives the best chance of stopping a payment.
Sources
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