You can avoid falling victim to a tax scam. Know what to watch out for and how the IRS contacts you. Tax scam warning signs Scammers mislead you about tax refunds, credits and payments. They pressure you for money, personal, financial or employee information. IRS impersonators try to look like us. Watch out for: A big payday - If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Bad tax advice on social media could urge you to falsify tax forms or credit claims. Demands or threats - Impersonators want you to pay “now or else.” They threaten arrest or deportation. Website links - Odd or misspelled web links can take you to malicious sites instead of IRS.gov. Impersonators don’t let you question or appeal the amount of tax you owe. Know your taxpayer rights. How to know it’s the IRS Here’s how to know it’s really us contacting you: Email - We email you only with your permission. Mail - Typically, we contact you first by U.S. mail. Most IRS letters include a letter or number. To verify it’s us, search for a letter or notice. Some letters might be from IRS-assigned private debt collection agencies. Social media - You can follow us, but we never contact you about your taxes on social media. Check with a trusted tax professional. Text message - We only send you text messages with your permission. Website - Our official web address is IRS.gov. Phone call - Typically, we mail you first. We might call about an audit or to verify information. Fax - Sometimes we send a fax to verify employment or request reported income or withholdings. In-person visit - Generally, we notify you by mail before we visit your home or business. How to know it’s really the IRS How to know it's an IRS official Common tax scams Be aware of the telltale signs of tax scams. Charity impersonators Your donation or website link doesn’t go where you think it will. You can’t deduct donations to fake charities. Search for a tax-exempt organization IRS: Beware of fake charities; check before donating IRS joins effort to fight charity fraud during international recognition week How to avoid fraud and scams after a disaster COVID-19 pandemic schemes Criminals took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to steal taxpayer money. Security Summit warns tax pros to be wary of pandemic-related email schemes Employee Retention Credit (ERC) Credits and refunds misinformation Incorrect information on how to get a bigger refund misleads you to claim credits you’re not eligible for. This leads to a delayed refund, audit or other consequences like fines or imprisonment. Dishonest or uninformed tax preparers misrepresent rules for claiming credits. Aggressive advertising, mail and online sources mislead you to file an incorrect return. They charge large, upfront fees or a fee based on your refund amount. Clean energy tax credits: IRS warns of new scam targeting clean energy tax credit Employee Retention Credit (ERC): IRS alerts businesses, tax-exempt groups of warning signs for misleading Employee Retention scams; simple steps can avoid improperly filing claims IRS issues renewed warning on Employee Retention Credit claims; false claims generate compliance risk for people and businesses claiming credit improperly Employee Retention Credit Fuel Tax Credit: Dirty dozen: IRS warns about false Fuel Tax Credit claims; taxpayers should be wary of scammers, heightened review Form 4136, Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels Sick and Family Leave credits; Schedule H refund: IRS warns taxpayers of new filing season scams involving Form W-2 wages; those filing fake returns face potential penalties, investigation Form 7202, Credits for Sick Leave and Family Leave for Certain Self-Employed Individuals Schedule H, Household Employment Taxes Disaster fraud Scammers want to “help” you file casualty loss claims or get big tax refunds. Impersonators claim to work for or on behalf of the IRS. People should donate carefully after a disaster to avoid scams Tips to help taxpayers avoid post-disaster scams Disaster assistance and emergency relief for individuals and businesses Donating to charities Dishonest tax preparers Don’t trust a tax preparer who: Doesn’t sign the return Falsifies tax information Puts your refund in their bank account Requires you to pay in cash or doesn’t give you a receipt IRS reminds taxpayers: Choose a tax professional carefully Email and text message impersonators The impersonator wants you to send them money. Opening links and attachments may harm your computer. Car buyers and sellers: IRS reminds car dealers and sellers to be aware of phishing scams Students and schools: IRS warns university students and staff of impersonation email scam University students and staff should be aware of IRS impersonation email scam Seniors targeted Scammers target people over age 65 or nearing retirement for personal or financial information or money. Often, once you give them money, they ask for more. When scammers trick you to withdraw from your retirement account, there may be tax implications. IRS warns against scams targeting seniors; joins other federal agencies to recognize special awareness day Retirement: Exceptions to tax on early distributions Social media bad tax advice and scams Social media can mislead you about tax credit or refund eligibility. Influencers may encourage you to falsify forms or put you in touch with scammers. They may claim the IRS is keeping a tax credit secret from you. IRS warns taxpayers they may be scam victims if they filed for big refunds; misleading advice leads to false claims for Fuel Tax Credit, Sick and Family Leave Credit, household employment taxes IRS warns taxpayers about misleading claims about non-existent “Self Employment Tax Credit;” promoters, social media peddling inaccurate eligibility suggestions Misleading social media advice leads to false claims for Fuel Tax Credit, Sick and Family Leave Credit, household employment taxes; FAQs help address common questions, next steps for those receiving IRS letters Tax debt settlement or relief services People pressure you to use their services to settle taxes you owe. They promise to relieve your tax debt for “pennies-on-the-dollar.” They rush you to pay them for this service. You can settle your tax debt directly with us if you’re eligible for an offer in compromise (OIC). IRS “dirty dozen” list warns people to watch out for Offer in Compromise ‘mills’ where promoters claim their services are needed to settle IRS debts. Unclaimed tax refund Impersonation mail misleads you about an unclaimed refund. IRS, Security Summit partners warn taxpayers of new scam; unusual delivery service mailing tries to trick people into sending photos, bank account information Unemployment claims identity theft If Box 1 of Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments PDF, shows unemployment compensation you didn’t get, you may be a victim of identity theft. Criminals can use your information to file fake unemployment claims, leaving you with taxable income to report. Identity theft and unemployment benefits Unexpected tax bill Scammers send you a tax bill to trick you into paying them. Taxpayers shouldn’t let gift card scammers ruin the holidays W-2 Form fraud Incorrect information on how to get a bigger refund misleads you to report fake income, federal income tax withholding and employers on Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. Criminals also target businesses and payroll companies by email to steal Form W-2 data to file fraudulent returns in other people’s names for refunds. IRS warns taxpayers of new filing season scams involving Form W-2 wages; those filing fake returns face potential penalties, investigation Data theft information for tax professionals Form W-2/SSN Data Theft: Information for Businesses and Payroll Service Providers Dirty Dozen: Taking tax advice on social media can be bad news for taxpayers; schemes circulating involving tax forms Protect your clients; protect yourself Identity theft information for tax professionals Related If you were scammed Report a tax scam or fraud About Criminal Investigation Choosing a tax professional Dirty dozen tax scams Identity Theft Central Payments we accept Report phishing
