IRS Scams

Tax season is one of the more lucrative times of year for fraudsters. They’re always looking for new ways to scam you out of your hard-earned money or personal information. Have you ever received a text message or email that claimed to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)? They may claim you’re owed a tax refund or economic impact payment or that you owe taxes. They may even threaten legal consequences if you don’t respond. Fraudsters will try any story they believe will elicit a response from their victims.

At first glance, these messages may seem legitimate. But be careful. The IRS has specific policies regarding how it communicates with taxpayers. According to the IRS website, the majority of the communications they send are initiated through traditional U.S. mail. If you receive a letter addressed from the IRS, you can verify its legitimacy by visiting the IRS website. However, there are specific occasions when the IRS may use other communication methods, such as:

  • Email – The IRS will only email you with your permission and will not request or discuss private tax information unless you have a current case open with the IRS
  • Text message – The IRS will only text you with your permission
  • Phone – You may be called to discuss an existing case or set up a meeting
  • Fax – You might receive a fax to verify or request employment information
  • In-person visits – These are rare, and generally preceded by a letter

The IRS does NOT:

  • Contact you or take payment on any social media sites (e.g., Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram)
  • Accept gift cards or prepaid debit cards as payment
  • Threaten to call law enforcement or immigration officials
  • Take your citizenship status, driver’s license or business license
  • Leave prerecorded voicemails (i.e., robocalls)
  • Mail tax debt resolution advertisements

If you receive scam messages like these, do NOT reply. Do NOT open any attachments or click on any links. You can report scam text messages through your mobile service provider’s built-in reporting method or by forwarding the message to 7726 (SPAM). IRS scam emails can be reported to phishing@irs.gov. After reporting it, immediately delete it.

Fraudulent mail should be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and/or your state Attorney General’s office of consumer protection. If you’ve been a victim of one of these scams involving your MidFirst Bank account, contact us immediately at 888.MIDFIRST (888.643.3477).