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Government scams

A caller says you owe the IRS. Real or fake?

A call, voicemail or text says you owe back taxes and must pay now. How IRS scams work, what the IRS does not do, and how to check your account safely.

The Editors4 min read

A stack of paper envelopes and a calculator on a wooden table with a pen
Image by Monfocus from Pixabay

The problem

The phone rings, or a voicemail plays. The voice says it is the Internal Revenue Service and that you owe back taxes. You must pay today, or there will be legal trouble. It may mention a case number, a badge number or a name. It may say that your Social Security number is involved.

The FTC says callers claiming to be from the IRS often say you owe taxes you have to pay immediately, and may threaten that you will be arrested or deported if you do not pay right away. The call is a scam.

How it can happen

Caller ID gives no assurance. The FTC notes that your screen might show an actual government agency's name or number, but caller ID can be faked. Scammers can also gather your name and address from leaked data, so the call may sound personal.

The payment method gives the game away. The FTC says that the IRS and its debt collectors will not demand that you wire money or pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency or a payment app. The IRS's own page on tax scams lists gift cards and scare tactics, such as threats, rushed deadlines and "pay now or else" demands, among the things it does not do or use.

The scam also appears as texts and emails. The IRS asks people to be wary of any unexpected contact that pressures them, offers refunds or credits, or asks for personal or financial information.

How to avoid it

  1. Hang up, or delete the message. Do not call back the number the caller gave you or the one on your caller ID.
  2. Check for real. The FTC suggests viewing your tax account information online to make sure you do not owe money, or calling the IRS at 800-829-1040.
  3. Look for the letter. The FTC explains that if you owe taxes, the IRS will contact you by mail. It will not first contact you by email.
  4. Do not pay by phone in any of the ways the caller proposes. Any demand for gift cards, wires, crypto or apps is the signal to end the call.
  5. Report it. The FTC says to report IRS impersonators to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at tigta.gov, and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The IRS also lists reporting pages, including irs.gov/help/report-fraud for tax fraud and scams.
  6. If you paid or shared details, follow the steps in what to do after you shared a code or gave someone access. If you gave your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov.

A similar call that claims to come from the Social Security Administration follows much the same script. Our piece on the Social Security number suspended call explains it, and checking a government call gives a general routine.

Things to watch

  • A demand for payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or payment app.
  • A threat of arrest, deportation or loss of a licence.
  • A caller who says not to hang up or not to tell anyone.
  • A voicemail with a number to call back immediately.
  • A message that offers a refund, credit or deduction and asks for details.
  • A text or social media message claiming to be from the IRS. The IRS page says it does not use social media direct messages.

If you are worried that you really do owe tax, that worry is reasonable, and it is a good reason to check. Use your online tax account or ring the IRS on the number above. A real matter can wait the few minutes it takes.

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