Stay Safe from IRS Scammers with These Tips

Fraud text messages impersonating the IRS are on the rise, and it is important for taxpayers to be aware of these scams in order to protect themselves from falling victim to them.

The IRS has received reports of taxpayers receiving text messages from scammers claiming to be from the IRS and demanding immediate payment for unpaid taxes. These messages often include fake IRS badge numbers, case numbers, and other seemingly legitimate information in order to make the scam appear legitimate.

One common tactic used by these scammers is to threaten taxpayers with legal action if they do not immediately pay the claimed taxes. The IRS has stated that they will never threaten taxpayers with immediate legal action over the phone or via text message, and any such threats should be considered a clear sign of a scam.

Another tactic used by these scammers is to provide a phone number for taxpayers to call in order to make their payment. However, the phone number provided is often not a legitimate IRS phone number, and calling it will only result in the taxpayer being scammed out of their money.

If a taxpayer receives a text message claiming to be from the IRS, they should not respond to it or provide any personal or financial information. Instead, they should report the text message to the IRS by forwarding it to phishing@irs.gov and then delete the message from their phone.

In addition to being aware of these fraud text messages, there are several other steps that taxpayers can take to protect themselves from IRS-related scams. These include:

• Never providing personal or financial information over the phone or via text message unless you are sure the request is legitimate.
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• Always verifying the legitimacy of a caller or text message sender before providing any information.
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• Never providing payment for taxes over the phone or via text message unless you have initiated the payment yourself.
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• Always contacting the IRS directly if you have any questions or concerns about your taxes.
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If you are unsure whether a caller or text message sender is legitimate, you can contact the IRS directly to verify their identity. The IRS can be reached at 800-829-1040 for individuals and 800-829-4933 for businesses.

It is important for taxpayers to be aware of these fraud text messages impersonating the IRS in order to protect themselves from falling victim to these scams. By being vigilant and taking the appropriate steps to verify the legitimacy of any IRS-related communications, taxpayers can safeguard their personal and financial information and avoid being scammed out of their hard-earned money