Alert – IRS Phone Scam

Please be aware of scammers threatening to arrest people or put liens against property for failing to pay past tax debts.

Scammers frequently say things the IRS would never say over the phone. Knowing what the IRS won’t say can help you quickly spot an IRS phone scam. The IRS will never:

• Call about money owed without first mailing you a bill
• Demand immediate payment by phone
• Demand payment without allowing you to question or appeal the amount
• Ask for your bank account or credit card information
• Require that you pay taxes in a certain manner, like with a prepaid debit card
• Threaten to send the police to arrest you

If you get a phone call by someone claiming to be from the IRS:

• Don’t talk to the caller or give out any information
• Hang up immediately
• Report the call to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, either online at IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting or by phone at 800-366-4484