If you get an email, text, or social media message from the Internal Revenue Service asking for a W-2, your personal information, or to make a payment, it’s not the IRS. As the 2026 tax season gets underway, the IRS is warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for messages and requests that ask for money or personal information, or that promise big payouts.
The IRS always makes its initial contact by sending a letter through the U.S. Postal Service. When scammers impersonate the IRS, they pressure you for personal, financial, or employment information or money.
Another way scammers get money from taxpayers is by calling, pretending to be a private debt collector on behalf of the IRS, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The IRS does use private debt collectors, but it will never let them contact you until after it mails you Notice CP40 explaining that your tax account has been assigned to a private collection agency, followed by a separate confirmation letter sent by that agency.
Here are three things the IRS encourages you to look out for:
- The promise of big pay day: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Also, do not follow advice that convinces you to lie on a tax form.
- Demands or threats: If you get messages that threaten you to pay “now or else,” threaten you with arrest or deportation, or won’t allow you to question or appeal what you owe, recognize that that’s not how the IRS operates.
- Website links: Odd or misspelled web links that take you to harmful sites instead of the official IRS.gov site.
Also, here is what the IRS does not do:
- Send direct messages or take payment on social media.
- Accept gift cards or prepaid debit cards as payment.
- Use automated messages that threaten or provide a link to websites that aren’t IRS.gov.
- Threaten to call law enforcement or immigration officials.
- Take your citizenship status, driver’s license, or business license.
- Mail tax debt resolution advertisements.
When you get suspicious messages, purporting to be from the IRS, use the same precautions used when getting other phishing emails, texts, or social media messages —do not reply, click on links, or open attachments. You should delete the message. For more information, read about Ways to tell if the IRS is reaching out or if it’s a scammer.
You can report IRS-related phishing emails or text messages to [email protected] with the subject line “Text” or call 800-366-4484.