Washington — Each tax season brings a familiar threat: phone scammers posing as Internal Revenue Service agents, demanding immediate payment or threatening arrest. Despite years of public warnings, the scheme continues to evolve, preying on fear and confusion. Officials say awareness remains the best defense.
The typical scam begins with an urgent call claiming that the victim owes back taxes or faces legal action. Callers often use spoofed phone numbers that appear to come from government offices and employ official-sounding language to intimidate targets into paying. Some even reference real IRS employee names or badge numbers found online to appear legitimate.
The IRS stresses that it never initiates contact by phone, text, or email to demand payment. Legitimate notices are always sent by mail first, and the agency does not accept payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Anyone receiving such a call should hang up immediately, avoid providing personal information, and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Federal Trade Commission.
Experts recommend several steps to safeguard against these scams:
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Do not engage with the caller or return suspicious voicemails.
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Verify directly by calling the official IRS number at 800-829-1040 if you believe you might actually owe taxes.
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Use call blocking or spam-filtering apps to reduce fraudulent calls.
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Report details to help investigators trace criminal networks behind the schemes.
The scam’s persistence reflects how profitable it remains for criminals. Many victims, especially older adults, fall prey to the high-pressure tactics before realizing the calls are fraudulent.
Authorities continue to pursue those responsible, but they emphasize that public vigilance is essential. Knowing how the IRS actually operates — and how it doesn’t — can stop scammers before they succeed. As one official put it, “If someone demands you pay right now or threatens arrest, it’s not the IRS. It’s a thief with a script.”
