It's a SCAM phone call. Ignore it. Hang up! The IRS does not call or email. The only mail letters.
Thank you VolvoGirl , I always keep my tax situation in order and updated , that's why I got worried.... Thanks a lot for answer my question.
I just received a call this morning' scared me half ti death. I'm panicked like what the hell did I do
@trinitydumas - IRS sent this a few days ago.
Issue Number: IR-2017-19
Inside This Issue
Phone Scams a Serious Threat; Remain on the IRS “Dirty Dozen” List of Tax Scams for 2017
IRS YouTube Videos:
Tax Scams: English | Spanish | ASL
Security Summit Identity Theft Tips Overview– English
Be Careful When Using Wi-Fi – English
Update Your Password Regularly – English
Dirty Dozen – English | Spanish | ASL
WASHINGTON —Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain a major threat to taxpayers, remain on the annual "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams for the 2017 filing season, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.
During filing season, the IRS generally sees a surge in scam phone calls that threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other things. The IRS reminds taxpayers to guard against all sorts of con games that arise at any time and pick up during tax season.
"Don't be fooled by surprise phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents with threats or promises of a big refund if you provide them with your private information," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "If you're surprised to get a call from the IRS, it almost certainly isn't the real IRS. We generally initially contact taxpayers by mail."
The Dirty Dozen is compiled annually by the IRS and lists a variety of common scams taxpayers may encounter any time during the year. Many of these con games peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns or hire someone to do so.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reports they have become aware of over 10,000 victims who have collectively paid over $54 million as a result of phone scams since October 2013.
"Everyone can share the word about scam phone calls-- just hang up and don't engage these people," Koskinen said. “Despite recent successes against phone scam artists, these scams constantly evolve and people need to remain vigilant. We’d like to thank law-enforcement, tax professionals, consumer advocates, the states, other government agencies, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and many others for helping us continue this fight and protect taxpayers."
How do the scams work?
Scammers make unsolicited calls claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a wire transfer or a prepaid debit card or gift card, like an iTunes card. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via a phishing email.
Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the driver’s license of their victim if they don’t get the money.
Scammers often alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. The callers use IRS employee titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official.
The IRS also reminded taxpayers today that scammers change tactics. Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain a major threat to taxpayers, but variations of the IRS impersonation scam continue year-round and they tend to peak when scammers find prime opportunities to strike.
Here are some things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.
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 the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
For taxpayers who don’t owe taxes or don’t think they do:
Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page. Alternatively, call 800-366-4484.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.
For those who owe taxes or think they do:
Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help.
Stay alert to scams that use the IRS as a lure. Tax scams can happen any time of year, not just at tax time. For more, visit “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts” on IRS.gov.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. These are your Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Explore these rights and the agency’s obligations to protect them on IRS.gov.
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Thanks so much because my brain was like wow my first filings on my own and jacked it up lol
They are also sending Text Messages: I received one this morning 3/1/17 stating: "WARNING: I.R.S. is filing a lawsuit against you , for more information call on (won't allow me to post number to help you recognize it) on urgent basis otherwise your arrest warrant will be forwarded to your local police department and your properties, social benefits and bank accounts will be frozen by government." I new it was a scam because first they sent a text message.....then the phone number is not how we write numbers.....then the "on urgent basis" is not 'MERICAN....
They are also sending Text Messages: I received one this morning 3/1/17 stating: "WARNING: I.R.S. is filing a lawsuit against you , for more information call on (won't allow me to post number to help you recognize it) on urgent basis otherwise your arrest warrant will be forwarded to your local police department and your properties, social benefits and bank accounts will be frozen by government." I new it was a scam because first they sent a text message.....then the phone number is not how we write numbers.....then the "on urgent basis" is not 'MERICAN....
They are also sending Text Messages: I received one this morning 3/1/17 stating: "WARNING: I.R.S. is filing a lawsuit against you , for more information call on (won't allow me to post number to help you recognize it) on urgent basis otherwise your arrest warrant will be forwarded to your local police department and your properties, social benefits and bank accounts will be frozen by government." I new it was a scam because first they sent a text message.....then the phone number is not how we write numbers.....then the "on urgent basis" is not 'MERICAN....
Received 7 calls and 2 voicemails within 3 hours today telling me the IRS was opening a lawsuit against me. I knew it was a scam- but they were sure persistent.
Received voicemail today from Seven One Seven 254 Zero Nine One Three saying the same thing that they are filing a lawsuit against me and to visit my local IRS office or call them back. I believe it's a scam because when I was younger and I had a minor issue with IRS they sent me a letter and never emailed or called.
Yes, it is a scam. See the IRS article in the answer below.
Here is a current 2017 IRS warning:
IRS Cautions Taxpayers to Watch for Summertime Scams
IRS YouTube Videos: Tax Scams: English | Spanish | ASL
Private Collection of Overdue Taxes: English | Spanish
IR-2017-112, June 26, 2017
WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today issued a warning that tax-related scams continue across the nation even though the tax filing season has ended for most taxpayers. People should remain on alert to new and emerging schemes involving the tax system that continue to claim victims.
“We continue to urge people to watch out for new and evolving schemes this summer,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “Many of these are variations of a theme, involving fictitious tax bills and demands to pay by purchasing and transferring information involving a gift card or iTunes card. Taxpayers can avoid these and other tricky financial scams by taking a few minutes to review the tell-tale signs of these schemes.”
EFTPS Scam
A new scam which is linked to the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) has been reported nationwide. In this ruse, con artists call to demand immediate tax payment. The caller claims to be from the IRS and says that two certified letters mailed to the taxpayer were returned as undeliverable. The scammer then threatens arrest if a payment is not made immediately by a specific prepaid debit card. Victims are told that the debit card is linked to the EFTPS when, in reality, it is controlled entirely by the scammer. Victims are warned not to talk to their tax preparer, attorney or the local IRS office until after the payment is made.
“Robo-call” Messages
The IRS does not call and leave prerecorded, urgent messages asking for a call back. In this tactic, scammers tell victims that if they do not call back, a warrant will be issued for their arrest. Those who do respond are told they must make immediate payment either by a specific prepaid debit card or by wire transfer.
Private Debt Collection Scams
The IRS recently began sending letters to a relatively small group of taxpayers whose overdue federal tax accounts are being assigned to one of four private-sector collection agencies. Taxpayers should be on the lookout for scammers posing as private collection firms. The IRS-authorized firms will only be calling about a tax debt the person has had – and has been aware of – for years. The IRS would have previously contacted taxpayers about their tax debt.
Scams Targeting People with Limited English Proficiency
Taxpayers with limited English proficiency have been recent targets of phone scams and email phishing schemes that continue to occur across the country. Con artists often approach victims in their native language, threaten them with deportation, police arrest and license revocation among other things. They tell their victims they owe the IRS money and must pay it promptly through a preloaded debit card, gift card or wire transfer. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls” or via a phishing email.
Tell Tale Signs of a Scam:
The IRS (and its authorized private collection agencies) will never:
Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. The IRS does not use these methods for tax payments. The IRS will usually first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes. All tax payments should only be made payable to the U.S. Treasury and checks should never be made payable to third parties.
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 the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
For anyone who doesn’t owe taxes and has no reason to think they do:
Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report the call. Use their IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting web page. Alternatively, call 800-366-4484.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the FTC Complaint Assistant on FTC.gov. Please add "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.
For anyone who owes tax or thinks they do:
View tax account information online at IRS.gov to see the actual amount you owe. Then review payment options.
Call the number on the billing notice, or
Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help
How to Know It’s Really the IRS Calling or Knocking
The IRS initiates most contacts through regular mail delivered by the United States Postal Service. However, there are special circumstances in which the IRS will call or come to a home or business, such as:
when a taxpayer has an overdue tax bill,
to secure a delinquent tax return or a delinquent employment tax payment, or,
to tour a business as part of an audit or during criminal investigations.
Even then, taxpayers will generally first receive several letters (called “notices”) from the IRS in the mail. For more information, visit “How to know it’s really the IRS calling or knocking on your door” on IRS.gov.
Hi I receive a call from saying there a lawsuit against me and arrest warrant and there internal renueve services what should I do
Hi I receive a call from saying there a lawsuit against me and arrest warrant and there internal renueve services what should I do
See the answer box below. The IRS says it is. The IRS will never call you without sending several letter first and the IRS does not threaten law suits - they place leans against your refunds or property.
Issue Number: IR-2016-62
Inside This Issue
IRS Warns of Continued Scams, Varied Tactics as the Tax Deadline Nears
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued a warning that scammers may try using the April 18 tax deadline to prey on hard-working taxpayers by impersonating the IRS and others with fake phone calls and emails. Even after the tax deadline passes, taxpayers should know the telltale signs of a scam and tips to protect themselves from a variety of phone scams and phishing emails.
"We’ve seen continuing activity in these scams throughout the filing season," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "As the tax deadline nears, these criminals may try and trick honest taxpayers over the phone or via email, and people should remain vigilant. After the tax deadline, watch out for these scammers promising a refund or threatening you with an unexpected tax bill."
These scam artists frequently masquerade as being from the IRS, a tax company and sometimes even a state revenue department. By email, they try enticing people to click on links on official-looking messages containing questions related to their tax refund. Report these emails to phishing@irs.gov. By phone, many scammers use threats to intimidate and bully people into paying a tax bill. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the driver’s license of their victim if they don’t get the money.
Variations of these scams can be seen nationwide, and it’s more important than ever to be cautious with providing personal or financial information. As part of the effort to protect taxpayers, the IRS has teamed up with state revenue departments and the tax industry to make sure taxpayers understand the dangers to their personal and financial data as part of the “Taxes. Security.Together” campaign. Some examples of the varied tactics seen this year are:
Soliciting W-2 information from payroll and human resources professionals--IR-2016-34
“Verifying” tax return information over the phone--IR-2016-40
Pretending to be from the tax preparation industry--IR-2016-28
There are some important reminders for taxpayers nationwide about these schemes:
Watch Out for Threatening Phone Calls
Beware of scammers making unsolicited calls claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via a phishing email.
Scammers often alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. The callers use IRS titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official.
The IRS Will Never:
Call to demand immediate payment over the phone, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money and you don’t owe taxes, here’s what you should do:
Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page or call 800-366-4484.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
If you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040.
Avoid e-mail phishing attempts
There has been a surge in e-mail scams this year that appear to be from a tax agency or a tax software company.
Never reply to emails, texts or pop-up messages asking for your personal, tax or financial information. One common trick by criminals is to impersonate a business such as your financial institution, tax software provider or the IRS, asking you to update your account and providing a link. For small business, these schemes may try impersonating a company leader and request payroll and human resource information for employees in your company. Never click on links even if they seem to be from organizations you trust. Go directly to the organization’s website.
And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you see an email that says ‘You won a free cruise’ or ‘The IRS has a refund waiting for you,’ odds are high that it is a phishing attempt looking to get your personal information.
If you get a ‘phishing’ email, remember this important advice:
Don’t reply to the message.
Don’t give out your personal or financial information.
Forward the email to phishing@irs.gov. Then delete it.
Don’t open any attachments or click on any links. They may have malicious code that will infect your computer.
More information on how to report phishing or phone scams is available on IRS.gov.