Rose James will be a speaker at the 2026 MFDA Convention and Trade Show.

It is an unfortunate fact that scams targeting the elderly are increasing in number. Robocalls allow scammers to target the elderly all over the nation. One of the most common scams involves these fraudsters pretending to be representatives of the IRS. In the following, we have listed some of the most common scams and how to tell if a communication from the IRS is legitimate or not. If you would like further information, please visit the IRS’s website on scams.

If you have received communications, whether over the phone, through the mail or via email, purporting to be the IRS, be sure it is the IRS before responding. Scammers rely on the fact that individuals will be nervous or flustered by negative news about their taxes so the victims will not ask the proper questions.

With most individuals, the IRS will only contact you via regular USPS mail. Even if the IRS does contact you via telephone for a special purpose, they will attempt to contact you via mail first. The IRS will never call to demand immediate payments by special method, such as a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. 

Usually, the IRS requests payments via mail. The IRS will not demand that you immediately pay the taxes owed without an opportunity to review or appeal the amount they say you owe. The IRS should always advise you of your rights as a taxpayer. The IRS will not send you unsolicited emails.

Most importantly, the IRS does not threaten to revoke your driver’s license, immigration status or your social security number. These threats are used to trick victims by scammers. 

The Social Security Number Trick

This scam is a robocall where the scammer threatens to cancel or withdraw the victim’s Social Security number. The goal of the scammer is to frighten people into responding to robocalls or voicemails. The IRS does not cancel or suspend your Social Security numbers. Please either ignore these calls or report them using the information on the next page. Do not provide your personal information over the phone. 

The Fake Tax Agency Trick

This scam is when the victim receives a letter threatening to place an IRS lien or levy on the victim’s property unless immediate payment is made. The fake tax debt is based on delinquent taxes owed to a nonexistent agency, often called the “Bureau of Tax Enforcement.” The goal of the scammer is to confuse the victim into thinking the letter is legitimate. If you are concerned about whether a letter is legitimate, you can contact the IRS or a tax professional at (800) 829-1040. Always use the official IRS contact information.

The Fake Refund Tax Trick

This scam is when the victim is contacted over the phone and told that they are entitled to an unexpected refund, but they must first provide their personal information. The scammer may have a fake name and badge number, they may have some information about the victim, and they may appear as an IRS-related number on the caller ID. Do not provide any personal information over the phone. If you are concerned as to whether you may owe taxes or be owed a refund, contact your tax professional or the IRS at (800) 829-1040.

If you are contacted by a potential scammer, do not provide them with any tax information. Instead, report the phone call, letter or email to the IRS using the following information. 

• Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report a phone scam. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” web page. You can also call (800) 366-4484.
• Report phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission using the FTC Complaint Assistant. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
• Report an unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS, or an IRS-related component like the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.

If you have questions about communications you may have received from the IRS, feel free to contact the Morrison Law Firm PLLC at (406) 443-1040.