The IRS has reported the following information:

More and more taxpayers are receiving scam calls from nefarious criminals posing as IRS agents trying to steal their money and personal information. The tax filing season, when people are thinking about their taxes, is a popular time for these phone scams.

Here are some ways you can tell the call is a tax scam and what actions you can take if you receive one.

The IRS will never:

  • Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes.
  • Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
  • Demand that taxes be paid without giving taxpayers the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
  • Call out of the blue about an unexpected tax refund.

Taxpayers who receive these phone calls should: