ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

IRS impersonation scam

The IRS impersonation scam is when someone pretends to be from the IRS (that's the government agency that collects taxes) and tries to trick you into giving them your money or personal information. This scam can happen in many different ways, like by phone or email.

The scammers might call you and say that you owe a lot of money in taxes and threaten to send the police after you if you don't pay right away. Or, they might pretend to be giving you a refund and want you to give them your bank account information to deposit the money.

These scammers are very sneaky and often try to make it seem like it's an emergency and you have to act quickly. They might even have some of your personal information already, like your name and address, to make themselves sound more legitimate.

The important thing to remember is that the IRS will never call you or email you out of the blue like this. They will always send you a letter in the mail first if there is a problem with your taxes. So, if someone calls or emails you claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money or personal information, it's most likely a scam.

If you do get a call like this, don't give them your information or money! Hang up the phone or delete the email, and report it to the real IRS so they can investigate and stop these scammers from tricking anyone else.