Look out for these signs to identify a tax scam
Watch for telltale signs that could indicate you’ve been a victim of a tax scam. A scam may be happening if you get these things:
- A tax transcript in the mail from the IRS that you didn’t order.
- An Employer Identification Number that you didn’t request.
- A Form W-2 from an unknown employer.
- An unexpected notice or email from a tax preparation company that asks you to:
- Confirm access to an existing online account.
- Disable an existing online account.
- Confirm a new online account.
- A letter from the IRS - during a year you didn’t earn income or file a tax return - that says:
- You owe additional tax.
- A balance due offset a refund.
- Collection actions were taken.
Verify what you owe on IRS.gov
If you owe tax, the IRS generally starts by sending you a paper bill in the mail. But you can always verify what taxes you owe in your IRS Online Account at IRS.gov/account. Don’t click links in emails or texts saying you owe a bill.
Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN
An IP PIN protects your account even if you don’t need to file a tax return. It does so by rejecting any e-filed tax return that’s filed without the unique PIN. The IRS will send you a new IP PIN automatically every year for added security. Once you enroll in the IP PIN program, there’s no way to opt out. Get an IP PIN with the IRS online tool Get an IP PIN.
Create a personal IRS Online Account directly with the IRS
Create an IRS Online Account to prevent scammers from using your stolen personal information to create one first. An IRS Online Account usually only takes 5 to 10 minutes to set up. Once you create an account, scammers can’t create a fraudulent one for the same person.
Report suspicious IRS, Treasury or tax-related online or email phishing scams to phishing@irs.gov. Don’t click any links, open attachments or reply to the sender. If you receive an IRS-related phone call but don’t owe taxes, hang up immediately and contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report the IRS impersonation scam call. You can report the caller ID and callback number to phishing@irs.gov with the subject line “IRS Phone Scam.”
Other resources for taxpayers:
For more information, visit IRS.gov/taxscam.