Annual Probability of Receiving an IRS Scam Call

IRS impersonation scams remain one of the most common phone scams in the United States. Approximately 20% of Americans report receiving at least one call from someone falsely claiming to be from the IRS each year. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has received reports of over 2.5 million contacts from IRS impersonation scam victims since 2013, with confirmed losses exceeding $100 million.

These scams typically involve callers claiming the victim owes back taxes and threatening arrest, deportation, or license revocation unless immediate payment is made via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. More sophisticated versions use caller ID spoofing to display legitimate IRS phone numbers and reference real IRS forms and badge numbers.

The IRS has stated clearly that it will NEVER call to demand immediate payment using a specific method, threaten to bring in police for non-payment, demand payment without allowing questioning or appeal, or ask for credit/debit card numbers over the phone. The IRS initiates most contact through regular mail. Robocall-blocking technology, call-screening apps, and registering on the National Do Not Call Registry can reduce exposure, though scammers frequently circumvent these measures.