IRS privacy guidance about email contact

 

The IRS will never initiate contact with you by email. Here are cases when we may send you email with your consent:

If you have an account and opt in to email

When you create an account through IRS.gov, we confirm your email address and personal information to verify your identity.

You can opt to receive email from us in your account profile. If you opt in, we may send you email notifications about your account. To protect your privacy and identity, we only send general information in these unsecure emails.

If you have an ongoing case with an assigned IRS employee

In specific cases, secure email may be an option to communicate with us.

How to send and receive emails securely

If you subscribe to IRS email updates

We may send you emails about specific tax-related topics if you subscribe to email updates.

We use your email only to confirm your subscription, send your subscribed updates and allow you to manage your subscriber preferences.

Protect your privacy

You should not email us sensitive personal information such as your bank account, charge card, or Social Security number. Instead use a secure method such as your online account or another application on IRS.gov.

We preserve emails that meet the definition of federal records as required by the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. § 3101). We delete emails that are not records when no longer needed.
 

Return to privacy policy 

Unexpected IRS emails

If you get an email “from the IRS” that you didn’t consent to receive, don’t click on any links. Forward the email to phishing@irs.gov. Find details in Reporting phishing and online scams.