Is that IRS or tax-office voicemail a scam?
If you got a voicemail or robocall claiming to be the IRS — demanding you verify your tax filing, settle a debt, or call back urgently — it is a scam. The real IRS does not cold-call people to threaten them. Here is how to tell, and what to do instead.
What it looks like
A recorded or live voicemail from an unknown number. A caller, often using an official-sounding but fabricated name, says they are from a tax office, a “tax filing mediation” unit, or the IRS. They tell you your filing is under review or your account has a problem, and you must call back “today” — usually at a number different from the one that called you.
If you call back, the script escalates: a supposed debt, a threat of arrest or a frozen account, and a demand for payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
Why it works
It pairs authority with fear. Most people do not know exactly how the IRS contacts them, so a confident official voice plus a deadline is enough to start a panic. Once you are afraid, the scammer controls the pace and pushes you to pay before you can check anything.
Red flags to watch for
- An unsolicited call or voicemail — the IRS first contacts you by physical mail.
- The callback number is different from the number that called you.
- Threats of arrest, deportation, lawsuits, or a frozen account.
- Pressure to act “today” or “before the review closes.”
- Any demand to pay with gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. No real agency does this.
What to do
- Do not call back — not the number on caller ID, and not the callback number left in the message.
- Do not give any personal or payment information.
- Block both numbers and report the call to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- If you have a genuine tax question, contact the IRS yourself through irs.gov, using only the contact options published there.
- Not sure? Email a screenshot of the voicemail transcript, or the recording, to [email protected] for a verdict.
Got a voicemail you are unsure about? Email the recording or a screenshot of the transcript to [email protected]. Our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then emails you a verdict.
Email it to usA real example
Verdict: SCAM
A user sent a screenshot of a voicemail. The caller used a fabricated name, claimed to represent a “tax filing mediation” office, asked the recipient to verify their filing status under time pressure, and left a callback number that differed from the line that had actually called.
No such office exists. The IRS handles US tax matters and does not cold-call people about account reviews. A callback number that differs from the calling number is a classic tactic to route victims to a scam call center. The urgency — “before the review cycle concludes,” “call back today” — was designed to force a decision before verification. Calling back would have led to a demand for gift cards, a wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
Verify through official channels
- The IRS explains how it really contacts taxpayers at irs.gov.
- Report impersonation scams to the US Treasury Inspector General (TIGTA) and to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- Look up any agency's real phone number yourself — never use a number from an unsolicited voicemail.