Posted On: February 23, 2026 by Prevail Bank in: Banking / Money Management Fraud
How to spot IRS scams: what the IRS will never do and how to protect yourself
Tax season is prime time for scammers, and knowing what the IRS will never do can save you from costly fraud. Criminals often impersonate the IRS to steal money or personal information, using tactics like threatening arrest, demanding payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency, or sending phishing emails. The real IRS follows strict protocols—and understanding these can help you stay safe.
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.
- Direct message or take payment on social media.
- Be cautious of any entity demanding payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, or wire transfer—this is never legit.
- Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
- Take your citizenship status, drivers license or business license.
- Direct a person to websites that aren’t IRS.gov.
- Demand that taxes be paid without giving taxpayers the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
- Call unexpectedly or send an email asking for verification (aka your social security number) so you can receive a tax refund.
- Mail tax debt resolution advertisements.
Taxpayers who receive fraudulent calls or suspicious IRS-related email and texts should:
- Report it to the IRS: Use the IRS online form or mail-in options via the “Report Fraud” page. Report phishing emails, calls, texts, identity theft, or tax preparer fraud.
- Be sure to note the phone number before hanging up.
- Don’t reply to suspicious emails; don’t open any attachments or links.
- Forward emails, preferably with the full email headers, to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov. Don't forward scanned images because this removes valuable information. Then delete the email.
- Contact TIGTA (Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration): Call 1‑800‑366‑4484 or file an online form via the Taxpayers Channel for suspicious IRS impersonators.
- FTC & USA.gov Reporting: Report scams via ReportFraud.ftc.gov or use USA.gov’s scam-reporting tool to direct specifics to the right agency.
Prevail Bank cares about you and your finances. We strongly suggest you work only with verified tax professionals and verify their credentials. Be wary of tax advice found on social media; only trust verified sources and official IRS communications. And establish, use Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) to block unauthorized filings with your social security number (SSN) and/or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN).
Stay safe! Your vigilance is the best defense against tax fraud.
