Every tax season, the fake IRS text messages return. A text claims your refund is held, your return is flagged, or you owe a penalty that must be paid today. The link leads to a phishing site that steals your Social Security number, bank details, or a payment. The simplest defense is knowing one fact: the IRS opens with paper mail. It does not make first contact by text message, and it never demands gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a same-day wire.
How the IRS actually contacts you
The IRS almost always initiates contact by sending a letter through the U.S. Postal Service to the address on file. That letter gives you time to read, verify, and respond. In rare cases an IRS employee may call or visit, but only after several written notices, and never as the very first contact. The IRS does not email, text, or message you on social media to demand personal or payment information.
If you receive a text claiming to be the IRS, treat it as fraud. Do not tap any link. A real IRS letter arrives by mail and includes a notice number you can verify by calling the IRS directly on the number listed at IRS.gov — never the number in the text.
Red flags of a tax scam text or call
- First contact by text, email, or social media message.
- A demand for gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or cryptocurrency.
- A threat of arrest, deportation, or license revocation.
- A request to “verify” your Social Security number or bank details by link.
- A same-day wire or payment app transfer.
Any first contact by text claiming to be the IRS is fraud, every single time. Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) and delete them. If you already tapped a link or entered information, change your IRS and bank passwords from a different device and contact the IRS Identity Protection unit.
Take the next step
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