Who: The IRS accepts reports of phishing and impersonation.
When to use: Use when someone claimed to be the IRS to get money or information.
What to prepare:
- Forward the email or note the phone number
- What they asked for
IRS – Report phishing~5 min
Category: Impersonation
IRS & tax impersonation scams
Most reportedImportant
The real IRS never demands immediate payment by phone, and never asks for gift cards, wire, or cryptocurrency. They contact by mail first.
How it often plays out
Robert gets a call: “This is the IRS. You owe back taxes. Pay now with gift cards or you’ll be arrested in an hour.” He buys $2,000 in gift cards and reads the codes over the phone. The IRS never calls demanding immediate payment and never accepts gift cards—the caller was a scammer who used fear to get the codes. Once the codes are read over the phone, the money is gone. Real IRS contacts by mail first and does not threaten arrest in a single call.
By the numbers
- IRS impersonation is one of the most reported government imposter scams to the FTC.
- Scammers often use spoofed caller ID to show "IRS" or a local number.
How to spot it
- Demands for immediate payment by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency.
- Threats of arrest, deportation, or license suspension if you don't pay right away.
- The real IRS contacts by mail first and never asks for gift cards or payment over the phone.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Save the phone number, email, or any message.
- Report to the IRS and FTC using the links below.
- Know that the real IRS contacts by mail first and never demands immediate payment by phone or gift cards.
Don't
- Pay or give personal or financial information.
- Believe threats of immediate arrest or deportation.
- Buy gift cards or wire money to "clear" tax debt.
Summary & what to do
Scammers pretend to be the IRS or tax authorities to pressure you into paying with gift cards, wire, or crypto. The real IRS does not demand payment that way.
What to do right now
- Do not pay or give personal or financial information. Hang up or delete the message.
- Save the phone number, email, or any message. Real IRS does not demand immediate payment by phone or gift cards.
- Report to the IRS and FTC using the links below.
Where to report
Who: The FTC tracks government imposter scams.
When to use: Use for any caller or message pretending to be the IRS or tax authority.
What to prepare:
- How they contacted you
- What they asked for
FTC ReportFraud~5 min
Frequently asked questions
- They said I'd be arrested if I don't pay. Is that real?
- No. The IRS does not threaten arrest in a single call. They contact by mail first. Hang up and report the call to the IRS (irs.gov/phishing) and the FTC.
- How does the real IRS contact people?
- The IRS typically contacts by mail first. They do not demand immediate payment by gift card, wire, or crypto. If you owe taxes, you will get a letter with instructions.