Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ]

a { color:#0073AF !important;} a:hover { color:#004673 !important;}
IRS.gov Banner
IRS Tax Tips ##line "Date"##

Useful Links:

IRS.gov [ [link removed] ]

Help For Hurricane Victims [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

News Essentials

What's Hot [ [link removed] ]

News Releases [ [link removed] ]

IRS - The Basics [ [link removed] ]

IRS Guidance [ [link removed] ]

Media Contacts [ [link removed] ]

Facts & Figures [ [link removed] ]

Around The Nation [ [link removed] ]

e-News Subscriptions [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

The Newsroom Topics

Multimedia?Center [ [link removed] ]

Noticias en Espa?ol [ [link removed] ]

Radio PSAs [ [link removed] ]

Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts [ [link removed] ]

The Tax Gap [ [link removed] ]

Fact?Sheets [ [link removed] ]

IRS Tax Tips [ [link removed] ]

Armed Forces [ [link removed] ]

Latest News [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

IRS Resources

Contact?Your Local IRS?Office [ [link removed] ]

Filing Your Taxes [ [link removed] ]

Forms & Instructions [ [link removed] ]

Frequently Asked Questions [ [link removed] ]

Taxpayer Advocate Service [ [link removed] ]

Where to File [ [link removed] ]

IRS Social Media [ [link removed] ]

?

________________________________________________________________________


Issue Number:??Tax Tip 2023-112

*Avoiding identity theft scammers posing as the IRS*

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but when scammers pose as the IRS it means trouble for taxpayers. Identity thieves may contact taxpayers through fraudulent calls, emails, texts or social media messages pretending to be the IRS. Here are tips to help taxpayers know when the IRS is contacting them.

*Letters and notices
*A letter or notice is usually the first way the IRS will contact a taxpayer. When a taxpayer receives a suspicious letter or notice, they can check to see if it?s really the IRS:


* Log in to their?secure IRS Online Account [ [link removed] ] to see if a copy of the notice or letter is in their file.?
* Review common IRS letters and notices at the Understanding Your IRS Notice or Letter [ [link removed] ] page on IRS.gov.
* Contact?IRS customer service [ [link removed] ]?directly to authenticate it, if they weren?t able to authenticate in their online account.
* Verify that any collection notice from a private collection agency [ [link removed] ] has the same Taxpayer Authentication Number as the Notice CP40 [ [link removed] ] the taxpayer received from the IRS. Taxpayers can visit Private Debt Collection Frequently Asked Questions [ [link removed] ] to learn more about verifying a private collection agency.

*Phone calls
*After first mailing a notice or letter to a taxpayer, IRS agents may call to confirm an appointment or discuss items for a scheduled audit. Taxpayers should know that:


* The IRS doesn?t leave pre-recorded, urgent or threatening messages. Scammers will tell victims that if they do not call back, a warrant will be issued for their arrest. Anyone making threats is a scammer.
* Private collection agencies contracted by the IRS may call taxpayers to collect certain outstanding inactive tax liabilities, but only after the taxpayer and their representative have received written notice.
* The IRS and its authorized private collection agencies will never ask a taxpayer to pay using any form of pre-paid card, store or online gift card. Taxpayers can review the IRS payments page at IRS.gov/payments [ [link removed] ] for all legitimate ways to make a payment.

*Email, text and social media
*The IRS doesn't?first?contact taxpayers by email, text message or social media channels to request personal or financial information.?Some common electronic scams that thieves use are:


* Sending phishing emails [ [link removed] ] to taxpayers.
* Posing as an IRS social media account to contact taxpayers about a fake bill or refund.
* Texting taxpayers about fake ?tax credits? or "stimulus payments."

These messages will often direct taxpayers to click fraudulent links they claim are IRS websites or other online tools. Again, the IRS will mail a letter or notice before calling or emailing, and it will *never* contact a taxpayer by social media or text message.

* In person visits
*The IRS recently ended most unannounced visits to taxpayers by agency revenue officers [ [link removed] ]. Ending these unannounced visits to taxpayers will improve overall safety for taxpayers and IRS employees.

*More information*:
Secure tax payment options [ [link removed] ]
Consumer alerts [ [link removed] ]
Report phishing and online scams [ [link removed] ]

?

Back to top [ #top ]

?

________________________________________________________________________

FaceBook Logo [ [link removed] ]??YouTube Logo [ [link removed] ] ?Instagram Logo [ [link removed] ]? Twitter Logo [ [link removed] ] ?LinkedIn Logo [ [link removed] ]

________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for subscribing to IRS Tax Tips, an IRS e-mail service. For more information on federal taxes please visit IRS.gov [ [link removed] ].

This message was distributed automatically from the IRS Tax Tips mailing list. *Please Do Not Reply To This Message.*



?

________________________________________________________________________

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ [link removed] ]. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com [ [link removed] ].

This service is provided to you at no charge by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [ [link removed] ].


body .abe-column-block {min-height: 5px;} ________________________________________________________________________

This email was sent to [email protected] by: Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ? Internal Revenue Service ? 1111 Constitution Ave. N.W. ? Washington DC 20535 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]
body .abe-column-block { min-height: 5px; } table.gd_combo_table img {margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px;} table.gd_combo_table div.govd_image_display img, table.gd_combo_table td.gd_combo_image_cell img {margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px;}