Ten Red Flags That You’re Not Really Talking to the IRS

As Americans scramble to file their 2022 taxes by today’s deadline, the IRS has released its “Dirty Dozen” list of the most pressing scams to watch out for this tax season. However, instead of trying to keep up every year with all the new ways you can get scammed during tax season, it’s more efficient to know some basic rules that will always keep you from becoming the victim of an IRS scam. 

If the “IRS” does any of the following things, you are not being contacted by the IRS at all; it’s a scammer trying to snag your personal information (and money).

They call you first

The IRS will never call you without first sending you a mailed letter notifying you of the call. Any call from the IRS will be to set up an appointment or discuss an audit, never to get you to pay anything over the phone. So if any “IRS agent” calls asking for money, hang up.

They leave a prerecorded voice mail

The IRS is not desperate or needy. They also understand voicemails are for spam callers or your grandmother. So if you get a prerecorded, urgent, or threatening voicemail, delete it.

They email you

The IRS is a government agency, and as such, they don’t do things efficiently, not do they keep up with the times. So they’ll never email you to discuss any tax debt or refunds. If you get any email from the IRS, send it to spam.

They text you

Life might be simpler if we could get texts from the IRS late at night on deadline day making sure we don’t forget to file or to submit the correct forms. But IRS agents don’t text people reminders, much less to request any personal or financial information.

They contact you via social media

The IRS doesn’t have a PR team trying to get people to engage about tax season. If an “IRS” account slides into your DM’s trying to get your digits (the social security ones), ignore, block, and move on.

They send you unofficial forms

If the IRS asks you fill out a form (which is not very common), you can see if the notice or letter appears on the official IRS website. If the notice or document is not there, it’s most likely a scam. Call the official IRS number and follow up to make sure it’s real.

They refuse to provide their HSPD-12 card number

The HSPD-12 card is one of two official identifications all IRS agents must have. You have the right to see and ask for it, and you can verify that it is legit by calling the IRS at 800-366-4484.

They ask for a credit card or debit card number over the phone

The IRS understands how sensitive giving financial information over the phone can be, so they will never put you in that situation. If you get such a call asking you to do that, you’ll know it’s a scam.

They want you to pay with gift cards

Asking to pay with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or any peer to peer app is a common tactic used by scammers, because those payments are hard to track and cannot be taken back once they’re given away. If any “IRS agent” attempts to do so, that’s a big red flag.

They threaten you

If the IRS says you’ll be arrested, deported, have your driver’s license revoked, or use any other method of intimidation, know you’re speaking with a scammer, not an IRS agent. The IRS doesn’t rush you if you have a legitimate problem, and they’ll give you plenty of time and notice to respond and pay what you owe.

If you really do owe money to the IRS, you can verify that by checking here. You’ll be given the option to pay by installments, and you’d send the money directly to the IRS.

If you do encounter any of the scams mentioned above, you can report them online or try calling the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.