Government Communication: Is this a Scam?
Scams and phishing are in abundance, especially regarding taxes. It’s become increasingly hard to tell what is legitimate and what is a scam. Here are some tips and information to help you determine if the communication is legitimate.
IRS
A USPS mailed letter is the primary form of communication for the IRS. If you have any doubt that the letter you received is legitimate, send it to your CPA or contact your local IRS office.
The IRS does not have an email address and will never email taxpayers. Any IRS communications through email is a scam.
The IRS will never text a taxpayer.
The IRS will only call you if they have already sent multiple letters/notices regarding an overdue tax bill, a delinquent (unfiled) tax return or has not made an employment tax deposit. OR if you have already been in contact with an IRS agent and have requested a call back.
Here is the IRS website with their complete guide to communication and how to report scams.
Oregon
The Oregon Department of Revenue (ODR) operates similarly to the IRS. ODR does have an online portal for taxpayers, Revenue Online which you can find on oregon.gov/dor.
A USPS mailed letter is the primary form of communication for the ODR. If you have any doubt that the letter you received is legitimate, send it to your CPA, check the letter ID (top right corner of the letter) in your Revenue Online portal, or call ODR at 503-378-4988 or 800-356-4222 (toll-free).
A taxpayer may receive an email notice that there is a message in Revenue Online. If you are unsure if this notice is legitimate, do not click any links and go to Revenue Online on a separate webpage.
ODR will not text a taxpayer.
ODR will only call you if they have already sent multiple letters/notices regarding an overdue tax bill, a delinquent (unfiled) tax return or has not made an employment tax deposit. They will never call unsolicited or without prior notice.
For more information about Oregon, click here.
It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to tell what is real and what is fake. If you have a CPA or other tax professional, reach out to them before making any payments or providing any personal information. When in doubt, call the IRS, Oregon Department of Revenue, or whichever state or local government has possibly contacted you.
If you experience a scam, here is the IRS’s list on how to report it:
Report impersonation scams to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration on the IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting webpage. Taxpayers can also call 800-366-4484 to report impersonation scams.
Report phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission using the FTC Complaint Assistant. Add "IRS Telephone Scam" in the notes.
Report an unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS or an IRS-related system like the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.
Protect your community by reporting fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Report fraud to Report Fraud FTC.
For a comprehensive listing of recent tax scams, consumer alerts and how to report them, visit Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts.