The IRS says it first contacts people by mail and never calls to demand instant payment, so a rushed message claiming to be the IRS is a warning sign.
The IRS is reminding taxpayers that a message pushing you to pay or click fast is not how the agency works. It normally makes first contact by mail. The reminder came during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, as the IRS joined the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Security Summit partners.
The IRS sends emails or text messages only when taxpayers opt in. It never sends direct messages through social media. The IRS or private collection agencies may call about account matters. But the IRS will never call to demand immediate payment, threaten arrest or tell you that you are due a refund.
Scammers use U.S. mail, email, text messages, social media and phone calls to pose as the IRS and other trusted organizations. IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano said criminals keep looking for new ways to steal taxpayer information. The IRS says these scams often follow a pattern.
Businesses, payroll offices and human resources teams should watch for phishing, which means fake messages meant to trick people into giving up information. They should also watch for fake invoices and W-2 or payroll schemes that aim to steal employee data, logins or money. Requests to change sensitive employee or payment details should be checked through a trusted channel.
Tax preparers face their own risks. Scammers may pose as a prospective client or use a hijacked email account to get a preparer to open a harmful link or attachment. A tax professional who suffers a data breach should report it as soon as possible to their stakeholder liaison.
The IRS also points to its Identity Theft Central and Tax Scams pages. CISA offers cybersecurity resources for individuals, families, businesses and organizations.
If a message claims to be the IRS and rushes you to pay or click, skip the link and report it at IRS.gov/SubmitATip.
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