Beware of suspicious tax related communications that you received.
The IRS encourages you to verify a suspicious call, text, email independently of the message in question before you take any further action. They are designed to either trick, surprise or scare you into responding before thinking.
TEXT MESSAGE SCAMS
How scammers operate
Fraudulent text messages are sent to your smartphone. They can reference popular topics such as COVID-19, Stimulus payments. The messages often contain fake links claiming to be IRS website or IRS online self-help tools.
What the IRS doesn’t do
The IRS does not:
- Use text messages to discuss your bills, your refunds, or any other personal tax problems.
- Send taxpayers messages via social media platforms.
If the IRS wants to discuss your personal tax issues with you online, it will do so only through your IRS e-Services account (Secure Access). To access your e- Service account, you must validate your identity using a rigorous, two-factor authentication process. That helps reduce the risk that cybercriminals take over your e-Services account.
They may steal your password, but it is highly unlikely that they have your mobile phone where a code has been sent. Preventing account takeovers helps protect your data and helps prevent the filing of fraudulent tax returns.
What you can do if you receive suspicious text messages
If you receive an unsolicited, suspicious, or unexpected text messages whether from the IRS, state tax agencies or others in the tax community, the IRS recommends:
- NOT to click links or open attachments;
- You take a screenshot of the text message
- Include it in an email to phishing@irs.gov. Your email should include: Date, time and time zone you received the text message and phone number that you received the text message at.
EMAIL PHISHING SCAMS
How scammers operate
Fraudulent messages are sent to your email account. Phishing is a scam typically carried out through unsolicited email and/or websites that pose as legitimate sites and lure you to provide personal and financial information.
What the IRS doesn’t do
The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. Most of the times, the IRS will contact you by regular mail.
What you can do if you receive suspicious email messages
If you receive an unsolicited, suspicious, or unexpected email whether from the IRS, state tax agencies or others in the tax community, the IRS recommends:
- To never reply to these messages, click on any links or open any attachments.
- You send the email as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov.
- You report any monetary losses to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). You should also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
PHONE SCAMS AND VOICE PHISHING
How scammers operate
You may receive fraudulent calls to trick you into giving money or providing personal and financial information.
What the IRS doesn’t do
The IRS does not:
- Leave pre-recorded, urgent, or threatening messages.
- Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer.
The IRS does not use these methods for tax payments. - 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 the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
- Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
What you can do if you receive suspicious phone calls
If you receive an unsolicited, suspicious, or unexpected phone call whether from the IRS, state tax agencies or others in the tax community, the IRS recommends:
- To not give out any information if you don’t owe any taxes and have no reason to think that you owe taxes.
- Hang up the phone immediately.
If you owe taxes, the IRS will first mail you a tax bill. You should make your tax payments payable to the U.S. Treasury, not to third parties.
The IRS wants you to be aware of these methods in an attempt to reduce tax-related identity theft. Criminals have used these methods for years. They keep using it because these tricks work enough times to keep them at it. Victims are tricked into providing sensitive personal financial information, money or other information. Scammers can use this information to file false tax returns, tap into financial accounts, etc.