News Flash

E-mail:

The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by e-mail, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. This includes requests for PIN numbers, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.

If you receive an e-mail claiming to be from the IRS that contains a request for personal information, taxes associated with a large investment, inheritance or lottery:
a. Do not reply
b. Don’t open any attachments
c. Don’t click on any links
d. Forward the e-mail as is to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov

Telephone Call:

If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS but you suspect they are not an IRS employee:
a. Record the employee’s name, badge number, call back number and caller ID if available
b. Call 1-800-366-4484 to determine if the caller is an IRS employee with a legitimate need to contact you.
i. If you verify the caller is an IRS employee, return their call
ii. If not, report the incident to both:
1. TIGTA (Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration) https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml
2. IRS at phishing@irs.gov (Subject line should be ‘IRS PHONE SCAM’)

Letter, Notice or Form via mail or fax:

If you receive a letter, notice or form via paper mail or fax from an individual claiming to be the IRS but you suspect they are not an IRS employee:

a. Go the IRS home page www.irs.gov search the letter, notice or form number. Fraudsters often modify legitimate IRS letters. The website will allow you to look up both ‘notices or letters’ or by searching ‘Forms and Pubs’

If you have experienced any monetary losses:

If you have experienced any monetary losses due to an IRS-related incident please report it to:

a. The TREASURY INSPECTOR GENERAL ADMINISTRACTION (TIGTA) https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml

and

b. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/Information?OrgCode=IRS#crnt&panel1-1)
through their Complaint Assistant to make the information available to investigators