Protect Yourself from Tax Scams
Summary
Virginia Tax published scam prevention guidance warning consumers about fraudsters impersonating government agencies. The advisory lists actions Virginia Tax will never take, including requesting personal information via text or social media, demanding gift card payments, or threatening arrest. Consumers are advised to report suspicious messages to the FTC and contact Virginia Tax directly for verification.
What changed
Virginia Tax published scam prevention guidance advising consumers on how to identify and avoid tax-related fraud. The alert clarifies that Virginia Tax will contact taxpayers first by mail and will never request personal information via text, social media, or insecure methods, nor demand payment via gift cards or threaten arrest.
Consumers should remain vigilant against impersonation schemes, report suspicious communications to the FTC, and contact Virginia Tax directly to verify any claims. This guidance applies to Virginia taxpayers and residents who may receive tax-related communications.
What to do next
- Report suspicious messages to the FTC
- Delete unexpected or suspicious messages without clicking links
- Contact Virginia Tax directly if unsure about a claim
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Protect Yourself from Tax Scams
Follow these tips to avoid scams during tax season and throughout the year.
Tips to Avoid Tax Scams
Fraudsters may pretend to be employees of Virginia Tax, the IRS, or other government agencies. They may contact you by phone, text, or email and claim that you violated a tax law, misused tax credits, or you owe money to Virginia or the federal government. Their goal is to pressure you into sharing sensitive personal information or sending payments.
If you owe taxes to Virginia Tax, we will first contact you via mail by sending a bill to the address we have on file.
Remember, Virginia Tax will not:Request personal information through text messages, social media, or other insecure methods
Send text messages with links asking for information or payment
Demand payment using gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or wire transfers
Threaten violence or arrest for unpaid taxes
Revoke driver’s licenses, business licenses, or immigration status
Demand payment without providing the opportunity to question or appeal
Don't click links in unexpected or suspicious messages
If you receive a suspicious message, don't click on links or reply to the message.
- Report and delete unwanted messages.
- Review additional scam guidance from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Call us if you are unsure if a message is from us
if you’re ever unsure about a message or request, contact us. We're here to help.
Published on: March 13, 2026
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