Gift card scams happen year-round but they become especially common during the holiday season when legitimate requests for gift cards are common. Scammers may use a compromised email account to send emails requesting gift card purchases for friends, family or co-workers.
Sometimes scammers add financial stress to the message by demanding payment for fake debts in the form of gift cards. One version of this scam involves a demand to pay an overdue tax bill.
Know the truth! The IRS never asks for or accepts gift cards as payment for a tax bill. You can always verify the status of your IRS account by accessing your information online at irs.gov/account or by calling IRS customer service at 800-829-1040.
Common holiday scams
The IRS sees a variety of scams as thieves are always changing their tactics. During the holiday season thieves could also:
- Request gift cards over the phone, sending a text message, email or social media message through a government impersonation scam.
- Pose as an IRS agent and call you or leave a voicemail with a callback number informing you that you have been linked to some criminal activity.
- Threaten or harass you by telling you that you must pay a fictitious tax penalty.
Criminals often ask the victim to purchase gift cards from various stores so as not to arouse suspicion with store employees. Once you buy the gift cards, the scammer will ask you to provide the gift card number and PIN.
How to tell if it’s really the IRS calling
Here are some tips on how to tell it’s the IRS calling. Remember the IRS will never:
- Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a gift card, prepaid debit card or wire transfer. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes.
- Demand that you pay taxes without the opportunity to question or appeal the amount you owe. All taxpayers should be aware of their rights.
- Threaten to bring in local police, immigration officers or other law enforcement to have you arrested for not paying.
- Threaten to revoke your driver’s license, business licenses or immigration status.
What to do if targeted by a scam
If you have been a target of an IRS impersonation scam, report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration by calling 800-366-4484. If you were targeted by a phone, text message, or email scam, you can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission or by email to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.
