The IRS usually makes first contact by regular mail, and it texts or emails only if you have opted in. A message or call that is unexpected, threatens you, asks for personal or financial information or demands payment is likely an impersonator. Do not click or reply, and report it: emails and texts to [email protected], calls to the TIGTA Hotline at 800-366-4484.
Who this is for and what you will have at the end
This guide is for US taxpayers who have received a text, email, call, letter or social media message claiming to be from the IRS, and who want to know whether it is real and what to do next. By the end you will have a short test for telling real IRS contact from a scam, the exact reporting channel for each type of contact, and a plan if you already paid or shared information.
Nothing here requires technical skills. It does not describe how scams are carried out in reusable detail; it covers recognition and response. Reporting addresses and phone numbers can change, so confirm them on the IRS pages linked in the References before you use them.
How the IRS actually contacts you
The IRS's own page "How to know it's the IRS" describes the legitimate channels:
| Channel | What the IRS says |
|---|---|
| The IRS usually makes first contact by U.S. Postal Service mail. Some letters come from private collection agencies. | |
| The IRS emails only if you opt in. Account notifications come from an address ending in irs.gov. | |
| Text | The IRS texts only if you opt in. |
| Phone | An IRS employee or a private collection agency may call about account matters. Automated messages direct you to IRS.gov and do not share specifics. |
| In person | Unannounced visits are rare, and the IRS usually sends a letter first. Ask to see official ID. |
| Social media | A direct message is never from the IRS. |
Two practical points follow. First, a surprise text or email about a refund, a debt or an "audit" is not how the IRS normally starts a conversation. Second, a letter can still be fake, so verify it rather than trusting the letterhead.
Warning signs that a contact is a scam
The IRS lists these signs. Any one is a reason to stop:
- It is unexpected or pressures you to act quickly.
- It threatens you.
- It asks for personal or financial information.
- It demands payment now.
- It is a social media direct message.
The IRS's tax scam alert page adds other warning signs: promises of a big payday, demands that do not let you question or appeal the amount owed, threats of arrest or deportation, and odd or misspelled links that lead somewhere other than IRS.gov. It also notes that email and text impersonators may ask you to send money, and that opening their links or attachments may harm your computer.
The IRS also notes that Criminal Investigation Special Agents do not handle civil tax cases and do not demand payment, so be wary of any contact claiming otherwise.
Caller ID is not proof. Scammers can fake caller ID so a call appears to come from a local or federal number, so judge the call by what it asks for, not by the number on your screen.
What to do with each type of contact
A suspicious text message
- Do not reply, click links or open attachments.
- Email [email protected] with "Text" as the subject line. Include the sender's number and the message contents, your own number, and the date, time and time zone you received it.
- Delete the text.
- You can also forward it to 7726 (SPAM) so your wireless provider can block similar messages, and report it to the FTC.
A suspicious email
- Do not reply, click links or open attachments.
- Send the message to [email protected] with "IRS" or "Treasury" as the subject line. The IRS asks you to attach the email as a file, use "Forward as attachment" if your provider offers it, or send the email header.
- Report it to TIGTA, then delete it. Reporting to the FTC is optional.
A suspicious phone call
- Do not give any information. Record the number and hang up.
- Report it to the TIGTA Hotline at 800-366-4484.
- For a suspicious tax debt relief call, the IRS directs you to report to the FCC and the FTC instead.
If you are unsure whether a call was real, hang up and contact the IRS through the phone numbers listed on IRS.gov rather than calling back a number the caller gave you.
A suspicious social media account or message
Report the account to the social media provider. Send the account's full URL to [email protected] with "Social media" as the subject. You can also report it to TIGTA, the FTC or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
A letter or notice
Verify whether a letter is from the IRS with the IRS notices search tool on IRS.gov. Report scam letters, including those about unclaimed refunds, tax liens or tax debt relief, to the U.S. Postal Service and the FTC. You can also contact your state attorney general's consumer protection office. The IRS adds that you can check an IRS notice in your online account.
Someone visiting in person
The IRS says only four types of employee make visits: Revenue Agents, Revenue Officers, Special Agents with Criminal Investigation and Fuel Inspectors. Ask to see official ID and verify it by calling the number on the card or, for a Special Agent, with the IRS-CI Employee Verification tool. Call 911 if you feel unsafe.
If you already paid or shared information
Act in this order, based on the IRS page "If you were scammed":
- Stop interacting with the scammer. Do not send more money or share more personal details.
- Contact your bank or financial institution. Tell them what happened and ask what they can do. For payment-app transfers, see our guide on what to do after sending money to a scammer.
- Follow the recovery steps on IdentityTheft.gov. The IRS directs victims there.
- If your SSN or ITIN was stolen, report it on IdentityTheft.gov, report it to the IRS and consider notifying your state tax agency.
- Get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) to block anyone from filing a tax return in your name, and set up an IRS online account, which uses multifactor authentication and lets you monitor activity.
- Consider a credit freeze. Exposed identity details are the main long-term risk. See our guide to a credit freeze vs a fraud alert.
- Report the scam through the IRS page for reporting tax scams.
- Expect follow-up. The IRS warns that some victims are targeted again. Be cautious of anyone who offers to help you recover your money.
If you receive a genuine IRS notice about identity theft, respond using the contact information printed on that notice and not a number from an unsolicited call or message. Filing Form 14039 is not needed in most cases, according to the IRS, and filing it does not remove your obligation to pay tax you owe. Use IdentityTheft.gov if you do need it, since it is the only place to submit the form electronically.
The Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent organization within the IRS, can also help.
A five-question test before you respond
Ask these about any contact claiming to be the IRS:
- Did I opt in to email or text from the IRS? If not, treat a text or email as suspect.
- Did a letter arrive first? The IRS usually writes first.
- Does it threaten arrest, deportation or a warrant?
- Does it demand payment now, or tell me how I must pay?
- Does it ask for personal or financial information?
A yes to any of questions 3 to 5, or a no to questions 1 and 2, means stop and verify through IRS.gov, your IRS online account or the number printed on an official letter.
Related scams to watch
Tax-season scams often overlap with other impersonation attempts. Unexpected tax bills or mailings about unclaimed refunds may be scams, and a Form 1099-G showing unemployment compensation you did not receive may indicate identity theft, according to the IRS. Dishonest tax preparers who do not sign the return, falsify information, direct your refund to their own account or demand cash with no receipt are another risk, and tax debt relief services that promise settlements for pennies on the dollar and pressure you to pay quickly should be treated with caution. You can apply for an offer in compromise directly with the IRS.
Fake delivery notices use the same pattern of urgency and a link; see fake package delivery texts.
Checklist
- The IRS usually writes first; surprise texts, emails and social media messages are not how it starts.
- Never click links or open attachments in an unexpected message.
- Never pay or share your SSN because a caller or message demands it.
- Report emails and texts to [email protected], calls to TIGTA at 800-366-4484, and forward texts to 7726.
- If you were scammed, call your bank, use IdentityTheft.gov and consider an IP PIN and a credit freeze.
References
- IRS, How to know it's the IRS: https://www.irs.gov/help/how-to-know-its-the-irs
- IRS, Report phishing, calls and email scams: https://www.irs.gov/privacy-disclosure/report-phishing
- IRS, If you were scammed: https://www.irs.gov/help/tax-scams/if-you-were-scammed
- IRS, Tax scams and consumer alerts: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scams-consumer-alerts
- IdentityTheft.gov: https://www.identitytheft.gov
Comments
Questions and tips are welcome. Comments are checked by the EpiFive team before they appear; please do not share passwords, phone numbers or other private details.