The common versions
Impersonation scams use texts, emails, and calls that claim to be from the IRS and promise a refund or threaten penalties, then ask for personal information or payment. The IRS generally makes first contact by mail rather than by text or social media, and it does not demand payment by gift card or cryptocurrency. A second version is refund theft, in which someone files a false return using your identity to collect a refund before you file. A third involves preparers or promoters who inflate deductions or credits, such as pandemic-era business credits, and take a cut of the refund. In that last situation, the taxpayer usually remains responsible for what was filed, even if the preparer drove the problem.
What to do right away
If you shared personal information, report it to the FTC through its identity theft site and consider freezing your credit. Report IRS impersonation to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and forward suspicious emails to the IRS. If a fraudulent return was filed in your name, the IRS has an identity theft affidavit process, and enrolling for an Identity Protection PIN can make future fraud harder. Keep every notice you receive, since many come with response deadlines. If a preparer filed an inflated claim, gather your copy of the return, payment records, and communications with that preparer.
When a lawyer becomes useful
Simple impersonation attempts usually call for reporting and account security rather than legal action. Counsel becomes more important when the IRS has issued a notice proposing additional tax, when you face penalties tied to a preparer's misconduct, or when you are worried your own role could be questioned. We review what was filed, what you knew, and what the notices say. Options can include amending returns, responding to an examination, or pursuing claims against a preparer. If the IRS is seeking to recover a refund, the response deadlines matter and should not be left to sit.
