How to report an IRS impersonation call
Recognize it first
The IRS initiates most contact by postal mail. It does not call to demand immediate payment by gift card, wire or crypto, does not threaten arrest by local police, and does not ask for card numbers over the phone. A call doing any of these is an impersonation.
Where to report
Report the call to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at tigta.gov — impersonation of IRS agents is specifically their jurisdiction. File a parallel report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Forward scam emails or texts pretending to be the IRS to [email protected].
If you paid or shared data
Contact your bank or card issuer immediately, then follow the FTC's identity-theft recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov. If you shared your SSN, consider an IRS Identity Protection PIN, which blocks fraudulent returns filed in your name.
Why reporting works
TIGTA impersonation reports have directly supported prosecutions of call-center operations, including multi-year federal sentences for ringleaders. The report takes minutes; include the displayed number, the callback number demanded, and any payment instructions the caller gave.
Sources
FAQ
The caller knew my name and address — is it real?
Not necessarily. Breached and purchased data routinely arms scam scripts. Knowledge of your details is not authentication.