What should I do if I lose money to an IRS impersonation scam?
Report to the IRS's dedicated impersonation reporting portal, file with the FTC, and contact your payment provider about a potential reversal. The IRS never demands immediate payment by gift card or wire.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
IRS impersonation scams are one of the most common and distressing types of phone fraud. A caller claims to be an IRS agent, tells you that you owe back taxes, and threatens immediate arrest or deportation if you do not pay immediately by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. The IRS never operates this way.
If you have already paid, start with your payment provider. Gift card payments have a very small window to freeze if the card has not been redeemed — call the issuer immediately. Wire transfers may be recallable if you act within a few hours. Cryptocurrency is near-impossible to recover.
Report the scam to the IRS at [email protected] and through the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at tigta.gov. The TIGTA hotline is specifically designed for IRS impersonation reports. Also file with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3.
Separately, confirm your actual tax status with the IRS directly by calling 1-800-829-1040. If you genuinely owe taxes, the IRS will send written notices through the mail — not phone calls demanding immediate payment. Clearing up any real tax issues is important so future scam calls do not cause renewed panic.
Common red flags
- Caller demands immediate payment to avoid arrest or deportation
- Payment requested in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer
- Caller threatens police will arrive at your door within hours
- Call came from a number that appears to be the IRS's official number (spoofed)
- Told not to tell anyone about the call or the 'case will be escalated'
- Caller offers to 'settle' for a lower amount if you pay right now
What to do now
- Call the gift card issuer or your bank immediately if payment was recent
- Report to TIGTA at tigta.gov or call 1-800-366-4484
- Forward any phishing emails to [email protected]
- File with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Call the real IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to verify your actual account status
- File with the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov
Frequently asked questions
How does the real IRS contact you about taxes owed?
The IRS contacts taxpayers primarily through postal mail. They will never call demanding immediate payment, threaten arrest over the phone, or ask for gift card or cryptocurrency payment. If you receive such a call, it is a scam regardless of what caller ID shows.
What if I am actually behind on taxes — could the threat be real?
Real tax debt is handled through formal written notices and a structured process with appeal rights. Call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to verify your account status. Real IRS agents will never threaten immediate arrest during a cold call.