Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Phone Scam Warning

Countless persons across the nation fall victim to fraudulent IRS scams every year, with the vast majority having overseas origins. Here is some useful information that can help you avoid being a victim.

The IRS initiates most contacts through regular mail delivered by the United States Postal Service. However, there are special circumstances in which the IRS will call or come to a home or business, such as when a taxpayer has an overdue tax bill, to secure a delinquent tax return or a delinquent employment tax payment, or to tour a business as part of an audit or during criminal investigations. Even then, taxpayers will generally first receive several letters (called "notices") from the IRS in the mail.

Please note that the IRS does not:

• 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.
• Demand that you pay taxes without the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe. You should also be advised of your rights as a taxpayer.
• Threaten to bring in local police, immigration officers or other law-enforcement to have you arrested for not paying. The IRS also cannot revoke your driver's license, business licenses, or immigration status. Threats like these are common tactics scam artists use to trick victims into buying into their schemes.

So, if you encounter one of these IRS Scams, who do you contact? If you have been the victim of an actual loss as a result of the scam, we encourage you to contact us and report the incident. If you have not sustained any loss, but want the appropriate agency to be aware of the issue, the following reporting options are available to you.

• Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report a phone scam. Use their "IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting" web page. You can also call 800-366-4484.
• Report phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Use the "FTC Complaint Assistant" on FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.
• Report an unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS, or an IRS-related component like the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, by emailing the IRS.