Tips to help taxpayers spot and avoid tax scams:

Protect yourselves from Email phishing scams:

• The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. 
• Generally, the IRS first mails a paper bill to a person who owes taxes. 

How to prevent Phone scams

The IRS generally first mails a bill to a taxpayer who owes taxes. There are specific ways to pay taxes. The agency and its authorized private collection agencies will not:

• Leave pre-recorded, urgent, or threatening messages on an answering system.
• Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to arrest the taxpayer for not paying, deport them or revoke their licenses.
• Call to demand immediate payment with a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer.
• Ask for checks to third parties.
• Demand payment without giving the taxpayer an opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.