Tax Relief AnswersIRS Scam Letters: How to Tell If an IRS Letter Is Real
The short answer
The IRS says it normally contacts you the first time by letter through the U.S. Postal Service, and every real notice number can be looked up on IRS.gov. A call, email or text that is unexpected, rushes you, threatens you, asks for personal or financial information or demands payment now is not from the IRS, according to How to know it's the IRS (reviewed September 30, 2026). The IRS also says it never asks for or accepts gift cards as payment for a tax bill.
How does the IRS really contact people?
| Channel | What the IRS says |
|---|---|
| U.S. mail | The normal first contact. Some letters come from private collection agencies; the IRS tells you by mail first. |
| Only if you opted in. Account notices come from addresses ending in irs.gov. | |
| Text message | Only if you opted in, from specific short codes. |
| Phone | The IRS or a private collection agency may call about your account. Automated messages send you to IRS.gov without account details. |
| Social media message | Never from the IRS. |
| Home or business visit | Uncommon, and generally after a letter. Field employees carry an IRS credential (pocket commission) and an HSPD-12 card. |
Is it a real IRS notice or a warning sign?
| Real IRS notice | Warning sign |
|---|---|
| Arrives by U.S. mail, usually as the first contact | The first contact is a call, text, email or social media message |
| Has a notice number listed on the IRS notices page | No notice number, or one the IRS does not list |
| Shows a due date and lets you question or appeal the amount | Demands payment "now or else" |
| The balance also shows in your IRS Online Account | The balance appears nowhere in your IRS account |
| Payment through the options listed on IRS.gov | Asks for a gift card, prepaid debit card or wire transfer |
| Calm, factual wording | Threatens arrest, deportation, police or loss of a license |
| Comes from the IRS about your own account | An unsolicited call or letter from a company offering to cut your tax debt |
What does the IRS say it will never do?
IRS Tax Tip 2022-181, linked from the IRS scams page, says the IRS will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment with a specific method, such as a gift card, prepaid debit card or wire transfer. The IRS generally mails a bill first.
- Demand payment without letting you question or appeal the amount.
- Threaten to have police, immigration officers or other law enforcement arrest you for not paying.
- Threaten to revoke your driver's license, business licenses or immigration status.
The tip describes the usual scam: a caller posing as the IRS tells you to buy gift cards, then asks for each card's number and PIN. The IRS phishing page adds that the IRS never calls to demand payment now, threaten arrest or announce a refund.
Steps to check a letter, call or text
- Search the notice or letter number on the IRS page Understanding your notice or letter. If it is not listed, be suspicious.
- Sign in to your IRS Online Account and compare the balance. You can also choose to get notices there.
- If you call, use a number from IRS.gov, not the one in the message. The IRS payment plans page lists 800-829-1040 for individuals.
- Do not reply to a suspicious email or text, click its links or open attachments.
- If someone comes to your door, ask to see both IRS IDs. If you feel unsafe, the IRS says to call 911.
- Report the contact, even if you did not respond.
Where do you report a fake IRS contact?
The IRS page Report fake IRS, Treasury or tax-related emails and messages (reviewed July 30, 2026) says:
- Email: send it as an attachment to phishing@irs.gov, subject "IRS", report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), then delete it. You can also tell the Federal Trade Commission.
- Text: send the sender's number, the message and the date and time to phishing@irs.gov, subject "Text". You can also forward it to 7726 (SPAM).
- Call claiming to be the IRS: note the number, hang up, and call the TIGTA hotline at 800-366-4484.
- Call about tax debt relief: note the number, hang up, and report it to the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission.
- Scam letter about tax debt relief, a lien or a refund: report it to the U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Trade Commission or your state attorney general.
Why are unsolicited "tax relief" calls a red flag?
The IRS scams page warns that some people pressure you to use their services, promise to cut your tax debt to a small fraction and rush you to pay them. It adds that you can settle directly with the IRS through an Offer in Compromise if you are eligible. The FTC page on tax relief companies says to ignore businesses that claim you are eligible for a relief program, to walk away from anyone who wants the whole fee upfront, and that no company can promise a particular result. See our tax relief red flags.
FAQ
Does the IRS send text messages?
Only to people who opted in, from specific short codes, according to the IRS. An unexpected IRS text can be reported to phishing@irs.gov with the subject "Text".
Will the IRS call me before it sends a letter?
The IRS says it normally contacts you the first time by mail. A private collection agency may call, but the IRS tells you by mail first.
Can I pay the IRS with a gift card?
No. The IRS says it never asks for or accepts gift cards as payment for a tax bill.
Is a company that calls offering to reduce my tax debt a scam?
The IRS says to note the number of a suspicious tax debt relief call, hang up and report it to the FCC and the FTC. You can apply for every IRS payment program yourself, directly with the IRS.