February 18, 2025
Avoid Falling for a Tax Scam
You can avoid falling for a tax scam. Know what to watch out for and how the IRS contacts you.
Tax scam warning signs ⚠️
Scammers mislead you about tax refunds, credits and payments. They pressure you for personal, financial or employment information or money. IRS impersonators try to look like us.
Watch out for:
- A big payday - If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Bad tax advice on social media may convince you to lie on tax forms or mislead you about credits you can claim.
- Demands or threats - Impersonators want you to pay “now or else.” They threaten arrest or deportation. They don’t let you question or appeal the amount of tax you owe.
- Website links - Odd or misspelled web links can take you to harmful sites instead of IRS.gov.
Payments the IRS accepts
Know your taxpayer rights
How to know it’s the IRS ⓘ
Protect yourself from impersonators. Know how the IRS contact you.
Common tax scams
Be aware of the signs of tax scams.
Incorrect information on how to get a bigger refund misleads you to report fake income, federal income tax withholding and employers on Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement.
Criminals also target businesses and payroll companies by email to steal Form W-2 data. They file fraudulent returns in other people’s names for refunds.
Impersonation mail misleads you about an unclaimed refund.
Scammers target people over age 65 or nearing retirement for personal or financial information or money. Often, once you give them money, they ask for more. When scammers trick you to withdraw from your retirement account, it could affect your taxes.
The impersonator wants you to send them money. Opening links and attachments may harm your computer.
Don’t trust a tax preparer who:
- Doesn’t sign the return
- Falsifies tax information
- Puts your refund in their bank account
- Requires you to pay in cash or doesn’t give you a receipt
Scammers want to “help” you file casualty loss claims or get big tax refunds. Impersonators claim to work for or on behalf of the IRS.
Incorrect information on how to get a bigger refund misleads you to claim credits you’re not eligible for. This leads to a delayed refund, audit or other consequences like fines or imprisonment.
Dishonest or uninformed tax preparers misrepresent rules for claiming credits. Aggressive advertising, mail and online sources mislead you to file an incorrect return. They charge large, upfront fees or a fee based on your refund amount.
Your donation or website link doesn’t go where you think it will.
You can’t deduct donations to fake charities.
To find out more information on tax scams, what to know and what to know, visit www.irs.gov/help/tax-scams