Stay safe
Tax scams that target Americans abroad.
Scammers know that Americans overseas worry about the IRS and can't easily walk into an office to check. Here's what the common scams look like, and the simple rules that keep you safe.
Reviewed by Lewis Grunfeld, CPA
Four rules that stop almost every scam
- The IRS almost always starts with a letter in the mail, not a call, text, email or social media message.
- The IRS never asks for payment by gift card, crypto, wire to a person, or payment app.
- There is no "amnesty deadline" that requires you to pay today.
- The IRS doesn't threaten immediate arrest, deportation or cancelling your passport over the phone.
Scams we see most
"Your amnesty window closes today"Messages claiming you must pay a fee to "enroll" in an IRS amnesty. The Streamlined procedures have no enrollment fee and no same-day deadline.
Passport threatsCalls saying your passport will be cancelled unless you pay now. Real passport certification comes after IRS letters, including Notice CP508C.
Fake FATCA emailsEmails pretending to be your bank or the IRS, asking you to "verify" your SSN on a link. Contact your bank through its own app or website instead.
Fake tax refundsTexts about an "unclaimed refund" that ask for bank details. The IRS doesn't text about refunds.
How to check if it's really the IRS
- 1
Don't use their contact details
Ignore phone numbers and links in the message. Go to irs.gov yourself.
- 2
Check your IRS online account
Real balances and notices appear in your IRS online account at irs.gov.
- 3
Ask us
Send us a photo of the letter with your free consultation request, and we'll tell you whether it's real.
How we'll contact you
- By email from an @expattaxamnesty.com address, and only after you've contacted us.
- We'll never ask you to pay the IRS through us, or to pay with gift cards or crypto.
- We don't make cold calls. We're an online firm and work by email and booked video calls.
Not sure a message is really from us? Don't click anything. Reply only to an email thread you started.
Got a letter you're unsure about? Send it to us.
Upload it with your free consultation request and our tax team will tell you what it is.
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