Don’t Let a Tax Scam Steal Your Refund

Tax season already comes with enough stress. The last thing anyone needs is a scammer piling on with fake threats, fake urgency, and very real attempts to steal money or personal information. Unfortunately, fraudsters know people are thinking about tax returns, refunds, and the IRS this time of year, which makes tax season a prime time for scams. Don’t Let a Tax Scam Steal Your Refund by staying alert to suspicious messages.

One of the biggest things to remember is this: the IRS does not initiate contact through text messages, emails, or social media messages demanding payment or threatening punishment. If someone reaches out unexpectedly and claims to be from the IRS, that should immediately raise concerns.

How IRS Imposter Scams Usually Work

Scammers often try to create panic. They may claim you owe back taxes, threaten arrest, demand immediate payment, or say your refund is at risk. Their goal is simple: make you act before you stop and think. In fact, Don’t Let a Tax Scam Steal Your Refund is a vital reminder as scammers prey on tax filers every year.

These scams can come through:

• Phone calls
• Text messages
• Emails
• Social media messages

They may sound convincing, but the warning signs are usually the same: pressure, urgency, threats, and strange payment demands.

What the IRS Will Never Do

Knowing what the IRS will not do can help you spot a scam faster. The IRS will never:

• Initiate contact by text, email, or social media to demand payment
• Call you out of the blue about your taxes unless you set up an appointment
• Demand immediate payment over the phone
• Require you to pay using gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or a payment app
• Threaten to arrest you or send law enforcement to your home

If you owe taxes, the IRS will generally contact you first by mail, not by phone. Don’t Let a Tax Scam Steal Your Refund by always double-checking any unsolicited demands for payment.

What About Private Debt Collectors?

In some cases, the IRS does use private debt collectors. However, this process does not begin with a random phone call. Before a private debt collector ever contacts you, you would first receive two letters by mail: one from the IRS and another from the debt collector.

Even then, a legitimate private debt collector working on behalf of the IRS will never ask you to pay over the phone.

Other Common Tax Season Scams

Tax season scams are not limited to fake IRS calls. Criminals also use phishing emails, fake refund texts, and misleading social media messages to steal personal and financial information. Some scams try to get you to click a link, open a malicious attachment, or share details like your Social Security number, online banking login, or debit card number.

In some cases, scammers may even pretend to help you claim credits, deductions, or larger refunds that do not actually apply to your situation. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

How to Protect Yourself

If you receive a suspicious call, text, email, or message, do not panic. Take a step back and verify the situation before doing anything else. Furthermore, Don’t Let a Tax Scam Steal Your Refund by following these protection tips.

• Do not share personal or financial information with unexpected callers or senders
• Do not click links or open attachments from suspicious messages
• Do not move money because someone claims it is necessary to “protect” your account
• Do not trust phone numbers or websites provided by the person contacting you
• Contact the IRS directly through IRS.gov if you need reliable information about your tax situation

If someone claiming to be from the IRS, law enforcement, or even your financial institution pressures you to move funds, hang up and verify the situation using a trusted source.

If You’re a PDCU Member

People Driven Credit Union members that are pressured to move funds, withdraw cash, buy gift cards, or share account information, should contact us directly through a trusted phone number or our official website before taking action. A scammer’s favorite tool is panic. Don’t give them the upper hand.

Report Tax Scams

If you believe you have been targeted by a scam, report it. You can learn more about government imposter scams at ftc.gov/imposters and report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

For additional guidance, see What to Do If You Think You’re Being Scammed (or Have Been Scammed).

You can also visit IRS.gov for trustworthy tax information and guidance.

Stay Alert This Tax Season

Tax season is busy enough without fraudsters trying to take advantage of it. Remember: the IRS does not contact people through texts, emails, or social media to demand money, and it does not threaten arrest or demand payment through gift cards or cryptocurrency.

A healthy dose of skepticism can go a long way. When in doubt, verify first, act second, and never let urgency make decisions for you.