Deepak Gupta

Government and authority impersonation · Also called IRS scam, HMRC scam, ATO scam, Social Security scam, immigration scam

Tax agency and benefits impersonation

A tax agency impersonation scam is a call, text, or email from someone posing as a tax office, social security, or immigration agency. They claim you owe money, your benefits or number are suspended, or you are due a refund, and demand urgent payment or personal details under threat of arrest or deportation.

How it works

The scammer calls, texts, or emails, often with a spoofed caller ID or official-looking logo.
They claim unpaid tax, a suspended social security number, a problem with immigration status, or an unclaimed refund.
They threaten arrest, deportation, or loss of benefits, or promise money, to create urgency.
They demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or payment app, or ask for bank and identity details.

Red flags

An unexpected call, text, or email says you owe tax or that your benefits or number are suspended.
The caller threatens arrest, deportation, or immediate legal action.
You are told to pay by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app.
A message offers a refund if you click a link and enter your bank details.

If you are targeted

Stop contact: hang up or ignore the message, and do not send money or personal details.
Contact the agency directly using a phone number or website you find yourself, not the one in the message.
If you paid or shared details, contact your bank now and consider an identity theft report.
Report it. Our Report a scam page lists where to report in your country, such as ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US.

Where to report, by country

Prevention

For individuals

Remember that tax agencies usually contact you by post first, and will not demand immediate payment by gift card, crypto, or wire.
Do not trust caller ID, since names and numbers can be faked.
Never click links in unexpected texts or emails about tax refunds or benefits; sign in through the agency's official website instead.

By the numbers

Figures are for the reporting category this scam falls under, not this scam alone.

Government impersonation losses reported to the FBI IC3 in 2025	$797.9M	US, 2025, FBI IC3
Government impersonator losses reported to the FTC in 2025 (about this amount)	$920M	US, 2025, FTC
Imposter scam losses reported to the FTC in 2025 (more than this amount)	$3.5B	US, 2025, FTC

Real cases

2025-12 · IN · Alleged · $48.7M estimate
Operation Chakra: CBI and FBI raid a Noida scam call centre, 2025
2020-11 · US · Sentenced · $25M estimate
Ahmedabad call centres' IRS and USCIS impersonation: owner sentenced, 2020

Delivered through: Voice phishing (vishing), SMS phishing (smishing), Email phishing

How official datasets classify it

FBI IC3: Government Impersonation
FTC: Government Imposters
UK Finance: Impersonation: other
Scamwatch: Threat scams

Questions

Does the IRS call people about unpaid taxes?: The FTC says the IRS will not call you about your taxes unless you set up an appointment, and will never email, text, or message you with threats or demands to pay.
What should I do if I already paid a fake tax agent?: Contact your bank or the gift card company immediately to try to stop the payment, then report the scam. If you shared personal details, watch for identity theft.