07/12/2023
Just a reminder:
The IRS never initiates contact with taxpayers by email, text or social media regarding a
bill or tax refund.
As a reminder: Never click on any unsolicited communication claiming to be the IRS as
it may surreptitiously load malware. It may also be a way for malicious hackers to load
ransomware that keeps the legitimate user from accessing their system and files.
Individuals should never respond to tax-related phishing or smishing or click on the URL
link. Instead, the scams should be reported by sending the email or a copy of the text/
SMS as an attachment to [email protected] report should include the caller ID (email
or phone number), date, time and time zone, and the number that received the message.
Taxpayers can also report scams to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
or the Internet Crime Complaint Center. The Report Phishing and Online Scams page at
IRS.gov provides complete details. The Federal Communications Commission’s Smart-
phone Security Checker is a useful tool against mobile security threats.
The IRS also warns taxpayers to be wary of messages that appear to be from friends or
family but that are possibly stolen or compromised email or text accounts from some-
one they know. This remains a popular way to target individuals and tax preparers for
a variety of scams. Individuals should verify the identity of the sender by using another
communication method; for instance, calling a number they independently know to be
accurate, not the number provided in the email or text.
