The IRS NEVER communicates by phone or e-mail.

IRS phone fraud scams are reaching epidemic proportion. If you receive a bogus threatening call or email from someone purporting to be from the IRS, please note it is someone impersonating the IRS. Notify the caller that you know it’s a scam and to stop calling. Delete any e-mail that comes to you ‘from’ the IRS. It is nothing more than a scam to obtain your personal data. The IRS will NOT ask for payment using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer over the phone.

Fill out the “IRS Impersonation scam” form on TIGTA’s website, tigta.gov, or call TIGTA at 800-366-4484.

You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov. Add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments in your complaint.

The way the IRS does business remains the same, through a letter in the mail.