Scams and Enforcement
That Letter Looks Like It Came From the Government. Did It?
By Darrin T. Mish, Attorney · 5 min read · October 9, 2026
The short answer
Real IRS notices can be verified in your IRS online account. A Notice of Federal Tax Lien is a public document, so private companies can see it and mail you. The government has alleged that at least one operation sent threatening letters that impersonated tax authorities. Verify before you call any number on a letter.
The envelope says "Final Notice" in red. There is a case number, a deadline, a seal-like logo, and a phone number to call immediately. It mentions your tax debt and maybe your county. It looks official.
Sometimes it is a real IRS notice. Sometimes it is marketing designed to look like one. The difference matters, because the number you call decides who gets your information, your money, and your trust.
Why you are getting these letters
If the IRS has filed a Notice of Federal Tax Lien against you, that filing is public. The IRS's own explanation says it files a public document, the Notice of Federal Tax Lien, to alert creditors that the government has a legal right to your property.
Public means anyone can see it, including companies that sell tax relief. A wave of mail and calls after a lien filing is common, and it is not a sign that you did anything wrong. It is a sign that your name is now on a list.
What the government has alleged about official-looking mail
This is not a theoretical problem. In October 2025, the Nevada Attorney General and the FTC sued American Tax Service and its operators. According to the Nevada Attorney General's announcement, the defendants allegedly sent deceptive, threatening letters, since at least 2021, that impersonated the government to generate inbound calls. Some consumers reported being told the IRS was investigating them or had "red flagged" their accounts.
The announcement said the FTC's claims included violations of its Impersonation Rule and the Telemarketing Sales Rule. These are allegations, and the case is described in more detail in the FTC actions chapter. The pattern is what matters for you: a letter built to look official, a scary claim, and a number to call.
Real IRS notice or marketing? A comparison
Signs to compare, with the safest way to verify
| Feature | Real IRS notice | Marketing mailer | How to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sender | Internal Revenue Service, with a notice or letter number | Often a vague agency-sounding name | Look up the notice number on irs.gov |
| Your balance | Matches the IRS's records | May be approximate or pulled from a public lien | Check your balance in your IRS online account |
| Payment instruction | Payable to the U.S. Treasury | May ask you to call a private number first | Pay only through irs.gov/payments |
| Threats | States legal consequences and your rights | May threaten arrest or immediate action | The IRS says it does not threaten arrest for nonpayment |
How the IRS actually contacts people
The IRS's fact sheet on how to know it is really the IRS says the agency initiates most contacts through regular mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. In special circumstances it may call or visit, such as for an overdue tax bill or a delinquent return, but even then taxpayers will generally have received several letters first.
The same fact sheet lists things the IRS does not do. It does not call to demand immediate payment using a specific method like a prepaid debit card, gift card, or wire transfer. It does not demand payment without giving you the chance to question or appeal the amount. It does not threaten to bring in police or immigration officers to arrest you for not paying. And it instructs taxpayers to make payments to the "United States Treasury."
The 2026 Dirty Dozen list repeats the point for phone scams: the IRS generally contacts taxpayers by mail first and does not leave urgent, threatening prerecorded messages, call to demand immediate payment, or threaten arrest.
The verification routine
- Do not call the number on the letter yet.
- Sign in to your IRS online account at irs.gov. The IRS says you can view balances by tax year, your payment history, and digital copies of certain notices.
- Compare. Does the IRS show the balance, the years, and a notice that matches the letter?
- If the letter has a notice or letter number, look it up on irs.gov to see what that notice actually is.
- If you still cannot tell, call the IRS using a phone number from irs.gov or from a notice you already know is genuine, not the one on the suspicious letter.
If the letter turns out to be marketing, you have lost nothing. If it turns out to be real, you now understand it before talking to anyone. Either way, you are in control.
When the letter is real
Real IRS notices often do carry deadlines that matter. A notice of intent to levy, a notice of deficiency, or a notice about a collection due process right can start a clock. Do not ignore a real notice because you were burned by a fake one.
Once you confirm a notice is real, read it, note any deadline, and decide whether you need help. The when do you need a tax attorney chapter helps you sort that out.
When the letter is marketing
Marketing mail is not illegal by itself. A company may lawfully send you an advertisement. The problem is when it pretends to be the government or makes claims it cannot back up.
If a mailer suggested it came from a government agency and it did not, report it. The FTC takes reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The IRS's fact sheet also points people to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for IRS impersonation. Keep the envelope and the letter. Details on channels are in how to report.
If you want help with the underlying debt, choose your helper on purpose. Pick a professional you found and verified, not one who found you with an official-looking envelope.
Phone calls follow the same rules
Mailers are often paired with calls. The same verification routine applies. The 2026 Dirty Dozen list describes AI-enabled phone impersonation, including robocalls, voice mimicry, and spoofed caller ID, and tells taxpayers to hang up on suspicious IRS-related calls.
A caller ID that says IRS proves nothing. Hang up, sign in to your IRS online account, and call back on a number you found on irs.gov if you still need to talk to someone. The full list of IRS contact rules is in IRS impersonation scams.
Protect your information while you check
While you verify, do not give your Social Security number, bank details, or a copy of an IRS notice to anyone who contacted you first. A legitimate firm you choose will need that information eventually, after you have checked them out and signed an engagement letter.
The 2026 Dirty Dozen list also warns about criminals posing as helpers during IRS online account setup. Create your account directly through irs.gov, on your own, and do not let an unsolicited caller walk you through it.
Keep the evidence
Whether the letter turns out to be real or fake, keep it with its envelope. Write the date it arrived on the envelope. If you call a number and later regret it, write down the date, the number, the name the person gave, and what they asked for.
Real notices belong in your tax file because they establish dates and deadlines. Fake ones belong in a complaint to the FTC. Either way, the paper is worth more than the memory of it.
A note on lien "removal" promises
Some mailers promise to remove your lien. Be careful. The IRS's lien page explains that paying the debt in full is the best way to get rid of a federal tax lien, and that the IRS releases a lien within 30 days after the debt is paid. It also describes specific procedures, such as discharge of property, subordination, and withdrawal, each with its own eligibility rules.
A professional may help you pursue those options. Nobody can promise one in a form letter before seeing your file. The tax lien chapter explains what is realistic.