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Fake tax office calls and texts: how to tell if it’s really the IRS, HMRC, ATO, CRA or IRD

Got a call, text or email saying you owe tax, face arrest, or have a tax refund waiting? How fake IRS, HMRC, ATO, CRA and IRD messages work, what the real tax office never does, how to check, and what to do if you paid.

The phone rings and a stern voice says you owe back taxes, there’s a warrant out for your arrest, and you must pay today. Or a text arrives saying a tax refund is waiting, with a link to claim it. Both are classic tax office impersonation scams. They work because tax is confusing and the threat feels official. The good news: real tax offices publish what they will never do, and these scams break those rules.

How the tax office scam works

  1. The threat. A call or robocall says you owe tax and will be arrested, deported or taken to court unless you pay immediately (IRS, ATO).
  2. Or the bait. A text or email says you’re owed a refund or your account needs “verifying”, with a link to a fake login page that steals your details (ATO, IRD).
  3. The pressure. They insist you stay on the line and don’t talk to anyone, including your accountant or tax agent (ATO).
  4. The strange payment. They ask for gift cards, crypto, a Bitcoin ATM, a wire transfer or a payment to a personal account (CRA).

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What the real tax office won’t do

  • US (IRS): generally mails a bill first, and won’t call to demand immediate payment by gift card, prepaid debit card or wire transfer, or threaten to bring in police to arrest you (IRS).
  • UK (HMRC): will never tell you about a tax refund or ask for personal or payment details by text, and only emails about refunds from addresses ending in hmrc.gov.uk (HMRC).
  • Australia (ATO): will never threaten you with arrest, ask for payment by gift cards, crypto or cash delivery, ask for a fee to get your refund, or send unsolicited texts with links (ATO).
  • Canada (CRA): won’t demand payment by Interac e-Transfer, crypto, prepaid credit cards or gift cards, or threaten arrest or deportation (CRA).
  • New Zealand (IRD): texts only come from 5678 or 4478 and never contain links, and IRD won’t ask for your password (IRD).

How to check if it’s really them

  1. Hang up, or don’t reply. Don’t use any number, link or QR code in the message.
  2. Look up the official number yourself and call back. In Australia the ATO asks you to call 1800 008 540 if you’re not sure (ATO). In Canada, the Competition Bureau says you can call the CRA on 1-800-959-8281 (Competition Bureau).
  3. Log in to your online tax account by typing the address yourself (irs.gov, gov.uk, my.gov.au, canada.ca, ird.govt.nz). If you really owe something, it will be there.
  4. Check web addresses closely. The CRA warns scammers set up fake sites with hyphens, like “-gc-ca”, instead of the real canada.ca or .gc.ca (CRA).
  5. Ask someone you trust before you act. Scammers want you to decide alone and fast.

If you paid or shared details

  1. Call your bank or card provider straight away and tell them it was a scam payment. If you bought gift cards, contact the card company too.
  2. Call the real tax office and tell them your details may have been stolen, so they can protect your account. In New Zealand, IRD can also put you in touch with iDcare (IRD).
  3. If you gave a password or logged in through a link, change that password from a device you trust, and turn on two-step sign-in.
  4. If they had you install a remote access app, uninstall it and get the device checked.
  5. Expect follow-up calls offering to “recover” your money for a fee. That’s another scam (FTC).

Where to report fake tax messages

  • US: report IRS impersonation calls to TIGTA and forward fake IRS emails to phishing@irs.gov (IRS).
  • UK: forward emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk and texts to 60599 (HMRC).
  • Australia: forward emails, or screenshots of texts, to ReportScams@ato.gov.au (ATO).
  • Canada: report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CRA).
  • New Zealand: forward emails to phishing@ird.govt.nz and texts to 7726 (IRD).

Also report the scam

Questions

The caller knew my name and address. Doesn’t that mean it’s real?

No. Scammers often already have personal details from data breaches or public records. Knowing your details does not prove who they are. Hang up and call the tax office on its official number.

The caller ID showed a real government number. Is it genuine?

Not necessarily. The ATO warns scammers can fake caller IDs, including real ATO or Australian numbers. Treat the caller ID as unproven and call back on the official number yourself.

They say there’s a warrant for my arrest unless I pay today. What do I do?

Hang up. The IRS, ATO and CRA all say they won’t threaten to have you arrested. The CRA describes scammers who pose as the RCMP to make the threat seem real.

The text says I have a tax refund waiting. Should I click to claim it?

No. HMRC says it will never tell you about a tax refund by text, and IRD says it doesn’t put links in its texts. Log in to your tax account yourself to check.

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