Tax Refund Scams: IRS and HMRC Impersonators, Signs (2026)

How tax refund and tax-debt scams work

There are two main versions. In the refund version, you get a text, email, or social media message saying you are owed money and must click a link, “verify” your identity, or enter bank or card details to receive it. The IRS lists fake social media accounts that mention a bill, grant, or refund, and texts offering fake “tax credits” or “stimulus payments”, among the ways impersonators reach people. HMRC likewise treats an unexpected offer of a refund, rebate, or grant as a warning sign, and says a message may be a scam if it rushes you, threatens you, asks for bank details, or tells you to transfer money.

In the debt version, a caller or voicemail says you owe back taxes and must pay now or face arrest. The IRS describes red flags as demands for immediate payment (“now or else”), threats of arrest or deportation, and no right to question or appeal the amount. An older IRS fact sheet (FS-2017-7, archival) adds that the IRS does not threaten to revoke a driver’s license, business license, or immigration status. HMRC says it will never leave a voicemail threatening legal action or threaten arrest.

The links lead to copies of official sites designed to capture your sign-in or card details. The IRS warns that odd or misspelled web addresses, such as irs.com, can take you to harmful sites, and that all genuine IRS links go to irs.gov. The FTC also lists the IRS among the agencies scammers pretend to be, and notes they often include personal details to seem legitimate.

A third, quieter version involves tax preparers and “helpers”. The IRS warns about preparers who charge large upfront fees or fees based on the size of your refund, who may have the refund paid into their own bank account, demand cash, or skip signing the return, and about social media advice that leads people to claim credits they are not eligible for. That can delay a refund or lead to audits and penalties. The FTC also warns about sites that sell Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) while implying a fee is required, when the IRS offers the number free on its own site.

What it looks like in practice

These are illustrative composites written for this guide to show the pattern. They are not quotes from a real victim or a real message.

The refund text (illustrative)

A text arrives: “Your tax refund of an exact-looking amount is ready. Confirm your details within 24 hours to avoid cancellation,” with a link. The link opens a page that looks like a tax agency site and asks for your name, date of birth, and card number “to receive the deposit”. The signs: an unexpected text, a deadline, a refund that needs your card details, and a web address that is not irs.gov or gov.uk. Under the IRS and HMRC guidance above, none of these is how either agency contacts people. Delete the text and, in the UK, forward it to 60599 first.

The arrest voicemail (illustrative)

A recorded voice says a case has been filed against you for unpaid tax and that you will be arrested unless you call back within the hour. The callback number connects to a person who asks you to buy gift cards at a store and read out the numbers, or to send money by wire or cryptocurrency. The IRS says it does not leave prerecorded, urgent, or threatening voicemails and that threats of arrest over a missed callback are scams. HMRC says it will never threaten arrest or ask for gift vouchers. Hang up, and see our guide to vishing and callback scams.

The preparer who “guarantees” a big refund (illustrative)

A post offers a large refund for a percentage of whatever you receive, and asks you to send your documents and bank details privately. The IRS flags fees based on the size of your refund and refunds paid to the preparer’s own account as signs of a dishonest preparer. Before handing over a Social Security number or W-2, make sure the preparer will sign the return and that the refund goes to an account in your name.

Eight warning signs of a fake tax contact

1. Contact begins by text, email, or social media. The IRS says it mails a letter or notice before it calls or emails, and does not start contact by email, text, or social media. HMRC does send some texts, but says it will not text about a rebate or ask for personal or payment details.
2. An unexpected refund, rebate, or grant. HMRC treats any unexpected offer of a refund, tax rebate, or grant as suspicious, especially if it asks for details or money. The IRS says requests for personal or financial information tied to a refund are a warning sign.
3. A threat of arrest, deportation, or legal action. The IRS says threats of arrest, deportation, or loss of a driver’s license or immigration status are scams. HMRC says it will never threaten arrest or leave a voicemail threatening legal action.
4. Demand for immediate payment with no right to appeal. The IRS says impersonators demand payment “now or else” and do not let you question or appeal the amount owed.
5. Payment by gift card, prepaid card, wire, crypto, or app. The IRS and its collection agencies never ask for prepaid or gift cards. The FTC says no government agency will demand payment by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency, or payment app. See gift card scams and bank transfer scams.
6. A look-alike web address or email domain. The IRS says genuine links go to irs.gov and warns about addresses such as irs.com. HMRC says it only contacts you about a rebate, or asks for personal or payment details, from an email address ending in hmrc.gov.uk.
7. Spelling and grammar errors, or an urgent tone. The IRS lists spelling or grammar mistakes and urgent demands to pay, click a link, or open an attachment as warning signs.
8. A preparer or “helper” who takes a cut of the refund. The IRS warns about preparers with large upfront fees or fees based on your refund, who route the refund to their own account, ask for cash, or will not sign the return.

How to check a tax contact in five steps

1. Stop and do not click, call back, or reply. Caller ID can be faked, so the number on your screen proves nothing. The FTC says to contact the agency using a number you verify yourself.
2. In the US, look up any notice in your secure IRS Online Account, or call the IRS on 800-829-1040 (the number the FTC gives). For an IRS collection notice, the IRS says to confirm the taxpayer authentication number matches the one on the CP40 notice you received.
3. In the UK, compare the message against the “list of genuine HMRC contacts” on GOV.UK, and sign in to your HMRC online account by typing the address yourself. HMRC says QR codes in its letters lead to GOV.UK guidance and you will never be taken to a page where you must enter personal information.
4. Check the sender’s email domain and the full web address. Only irs.gov and hmrc.gov.uk addresses are genuine for these agencies.
5. Forward the message to the official reporting address below, then delete it. If a relative or customer is unsure, show them this checklist before they respond.

If you already paid or gave details

Work through these in order. Speed matters most for the first two.

1. If you paid by card or bank transfer, call your bank or card issuer immediately, say it was a scam, and ask them to stop or reverse the payment. The FTC says to act quickly.
2. If you bought gift cards, or sent a wire, crypto, or app payment, contact the card issuer or provider at once and ask for the money back. See the FTC’s steps by payment method on its what to do if you were scammed page.
3. If you typed in a password or card number on a fake page, change that password everywhere you used it and turn on two-factor authentication. See phishing messages.
4. If you gave your Social Security number, date of birth, or tax identifiers, go to IdentityTheft.gov (US), which the FTC points to for people who shared personal information. In the UK, tell the HMRC security team, as HMRC advises, and consider a credit report check.
5. If your refund or return looks tampered with, contact the IRS or HMRC through the official number you looked up yourself, not one from the message.
6. Keep records: screenshots, the number or address that contacted you, dates, amounts, and receipts. You will need them for every report below.
7. Do not pay a “recovery” service. See recovery scams.

Where to report

• United States: report IRS phone scams to TIGTA (800-366-4484 per the IRS fact sheet) and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, adding “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes. Forward phishing emails and texts to phishing@irs.gov. Also see ic3.gov for online crime.
• United Kingdom: forward texts to 60599 and emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, then delete them. Report suspicious HMRC phone calls through HMRC’s online reporting service, and social media accounts to branddefence@hmrc.gov.uk. If you lost money, report to Report Fraud (0300 123 2040), or Police Scotland on 101. If you shared details, report it to the HMRC security team.
• Australia: report tax impersonation to Scamwatch and, for cybercrime, ReportCyber.
• Canada: the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, 1-888-495-8501.

More help from official sources

• IRS: Beware of scammers posing as the IRS
• IRS: Recognize tax scams and fraud
• IRS: How to know it’s really the IRS (archival fact sheet FS-2017-7)
• FTC: How to avoid a government impersonation scam
• FTC: EIN sellers and IRS imposters
• GOV.UK: Identify tax scams by phone, text, email or social media (HMRC)
• GOV.UK: Reporting suspicious HMRC contact

Scambaba is an independent educational project. Reporting and recovery options depend on where you live. How these guides are researched is on the editorial policy.

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