Protect Yourself from the IRS Collector Scam

Protecting the safety and security of our members is a top priority. The fraud protection services we offer serve as an additional barrier to help protect our members, but knowledge and awareness are the best defense against scams and fraud. Keeping you safe is so much easier when we have your help and we can work together to ensure your accounts remain protected. It’s important to always be vigilant when it comes to protecting your account details, digital banking login credentials, and your debit and credit card information.

Several of the common scams we are faced with today are often variations on the same theme: the scammer pretends to be someone else in an attempt to trick you into sharing your personal information. One of these scams is known as the “IRS Collector Scam.”

With the IRS Collector Scam, you could receive a phone call or possibly even an email from someone claiming to be from the IRS. They then state that you owe unpaid taxes, and are at risk of being in big trouble if you don’t meet their requests right away. They demand immediate payment so you can avoid going to jail. Fortunately, this is just a scam, and you don’t have to fall for their scare tactics if you pay attention to the red flags.

• The IRS will never initiate unsolicited communication with taxpayers.
• The IRS will never request personal information via email, text, phone call, or social media direct message without prior contact. Any legitimate communication from the IRS or any other government agency will come to you in the form of an official letter in the mail.
• The IRS will never include or attach sensitive information or documents, such as your tax transcript, in an unsolicited email.
• The IRS will never demand immediate payment over the phone, especially via unsecured payment methods such as gift cards or prepaid debit cards. They will never request your debit or credit card information over the phone either.
• The IRS will never demand immediate payment without providing you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount you owe.
• The IRS will never threaten that you will be arrested, either by local police or immigration officers. The IRS also does not have the authority to revoke your state driver’s license or immigration status.

Robins Financial Credit Union is committed to protecting the safety and security of our members. Learn more about how to Protect Yourself Against IRS Scams and Tax Scams. To find out more about how we protect our members every day, give us a call or stop by any of our branch locations.