How Do I Report a Tax Fraud Scam to the IRS?
During tax season, many individuals become victims of scammers who target them to obtain their information. They usually find themselves confused and wondering how to report fraud. Fortunately, they can use a few methods to contact the IRS for a response. Consider following instructional steps to avoid problems when reaching out to an IRS branch in your district.
Tax fraud comes in many forms and often surprises victims. For example, scammers can find ways to disguise their identities, making it difficult to trace their location. They may also obtain vital information, such as a social security number, birthdate and other information used to file taxes. Therefore, it would be best to reach out to the IRS if you suspect someone is committing a scam.
What to Know About Tax Fraud Scams
Unfortunately, some individuals use tax season to commit fraud using various methods. Not only can it hurt their reputation as taxpayers, but it can also affect you if a scammer uses your information. Therefore, you must become familiar with typical schemes to determine if someone is conning IRS taxpayers.
Several scam examples include:
- Impersonating an IRS member of staff.
- Threatening to arrest an individual who did not file or pay their taxes.
- Filing a fraudulent non-IRS employee or employer tax return.
- Threatening to take civil action against an individual who failed to make a tax payment.
How to Report Suspected Tax Fraud
- Visit the IRS website at https://irs.gov.
- Click "File" on the homepage navigation menu bar, then click "Individuals" on the left side.
- Choose "Identity Theft" under "Identity Theft Protection."
- Scroll down and click "Phishing and Online Scams."
- On the left side, choose "Fraud/Scams," then click "Identify Tax Schemes" in the "Criminal Investigation" drop-down list.
- Scroll and click "Report Suspected Fraud Activity!"
- Click the Information Referral PDF link to view and download the form.
Ensure you complete all applicable fields on the document when notifying the IRS about a tax scam. You have the option to file anonymously or use your personal information, such as your name, address and other confidential details. While the IRS will not reveal your identity, they will notify the scammer of a pending investigation to validate the claim.
Contacting the IRS Department of Treasury
The most effective way to contact the IRS is by using the general phone number to speak to a representative at the closest branch in your state or city. Also, the method is efficient if you do not have a dependable or strong Wi-Fi connection. It would be best to have the necessary information ready for your call to guarantee a representative can effectively answer your questions or resolve your issue.
Further questions?
Solutions to similar problems
Why does GetHuman Write How-to Guides for The IRS Problems?
GetHuman has been working for over 10 years on sourcing information about big organizations like The IRS in order to help customers resolve customer service issues faster. We started with contact information and fastest ways to reach a human at big companies. Particularly ones with slow or complicated IVR or phone menu systems. Or companies that have self-serve help forums instead of a customer service department. From there, we realized that consumers still needed more detailed help solving the most common problems, so we expanded to this set of guides, which grows every day. And if you spot any issues with our How Do I Report a Tax Fraud Scam to the IRS? guide, please let us know by sending us feedback. We want to be as helpful as possible. If you appreciated this guide, please share it with your favorite people. Our free information and tools is powered by you, the customer. The more people that use it, the better it gets.