Real IRS / HMRC Contact vs Government-Impersonation Call
How to tell a genuine IRS or HMRC communication from a scam call threatening arrest, fines, or asset seizure to extract immediate payment.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Tax authorities are, if anything, slow and paper-heavy. Contact starts with a letter to your registered address carrying a reference number you can check against your online tax account, and disagreement is expected and catered for through appeals and payment plans. Nobody in a genuine tax office can have you arrested during a phone call. Impersonation calls succeed because tax is one of the few areas where most people privately suspect they might have got something wrong. The caller supplies a case number, sometimes a real-sounding department, and above all a countdown: police en route, accounts frozen this afternoon, stay on the line and tell no one. The instruction to stay on the line is the tell. The distinction that matters is that a real tax matter survives you hanging up and ringing back on a number you looked up yourself.
Side-by-side comparison
| Real IRS / HMRC contact | Government-impersonation call | |
|---|---|---|
| First contact method | First contact is almost always by letter to your registered address — not a cold call | First contact is typically a phone call, often automated, threatening arrest |
| Payment method | Directs you to an official payment portal or bank transfer to a government account — never gift cards | Demands iTunes gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency immediately |
| Threat of arrest | Cannot arrest you for a tax dispute; legal processes involve courts and written notices | Threatens immediate arrest, deportation, or asset freezing unless you pay now |
| Verification | You can call the official number and verify the matter independently | Caller insists you stay on the line or the 'case will escalate' |
| Urgency | Gives you time to seek advice; dispute mechanisms are available | Demands payment within hours or the 'matter will be referred to police' |
Common red flags
- Automated call threatening arrest for unpaid tax
- Demand for gift cards, crypto, or wire transfer to pay taxes
- Caller insists you stay on the phone and not tell family
- Threat of immediate police arrival or deportation
- No written notice or reference number you can look up independently
Verification steps
- Hang up and call the tax authority directly on the number from their official website
- Log into your tax account on the official government portal to check for any outstanding notices
- Ask a tax adviser or Citizens Advice (UK) for independent guidance
- Never make any payment based solely on an unexpected phone call
What not to do
- Don't pay by gift card, crypto, or wire transfer in response to any tax call
- Don't stay on the line because the caller instructs you to
- Don't provide your tax ID, NI number, or bank details to an incoming caller
A safe response
Hang up. You do not need to be polite, explain yourself, or hear them out, and ending the call cannot make a genuine tax matter worse. Wait a few minutes, then look up your tax authority's number on their official website, or log into your tax account and check for real notices. If something is outstanding, it will be there. Do not use any number, website, or reference the caller supplied. Report the call to your tax authority's fraud line and to Action Fraud in the UK or the FTC in the US. If you have already paid, particularly by gift card, transfer, or cryptocurrency, contact your bank or the card retailer straight away and keep the receipts and card numbers, as immediate reporting occasionally allows funds to be stopped.
Frequently asked questions
The caller ID showed the tax office's real number. How is that possible?
Caller ID is easy to forge, and fraudsters routinely display the genuine published number of a tax office, police force, or bank. Your phone simply shows the label it is sent. This is why the reliable method is to end the call and dial out yourself on a number you looked up, rather than trusting an incoming display. If you use a landline, wait a minute or use a different phone before calling back, so you are not still connected to the same caller.
I already sent gift card codes. Is there anything I can still do?
Act immediately rather than assuming it is hopeless. Contact the retailer that issued the cards, tell them the codes were obtained by fraud, and ask whether the balance can be frozen. Sometimes funds have not yet been spent. Keep the physical cards, receipts, and any messages. Report it to your tax authority's fraud line and your national reporting body, and to the police. Recovery is uncertain and the retailer decides, but reporting within hours gives the best chance and helps others.
Does the IRS or HMRC ever call without writing first?
Occasionally, but only after multiple written notices have been sent. An unexpected first-contact call threatening immediate arrest or demanding gift cards is not how either agency operates. When in doubt, hang up and verify by calling the official number yourself.