Conn. (WTNH) — Tax scams are prevalent across the country, with fraudsters often trying to impersonate the IRS. We are stretching your dollar, to help make sure you don’t become a victim.

Luis Garcia, a spokesman with the IRS, spoke with News 8’s Laura Hutchinson on what to look out for.

“These guys are always on the lookout for getting your money. And something just as valuable as money to them is your personal identity, ” said Garcia.

First, the IRS will not threaten you.

He says whether it’s with arrest from local police, or they’re going to foreclose or take your driver’s license away or whatever threat it is, that’s not the IRS.

And be suspicious if the person contacting you asks for a specific payment method.

That means you’ve got to send it through this payment app or you have to buy gift cards. The IRS does not accept gift cards of any type for payment of federal taxes.

The IRS will not call you asking for your credit card number or other personal information, and they will never contact you through text messages or social media.

“The IRS primarily is going to communicate with you through the mail. We occasionally, very rarely, will reach out to you through the phone, but that person will identify themselves, give a badge number, and they will not threaten you.

They will not demand immediate payment. They’re not going to tell you you have to pay a particular way,” said Garcia.

Another red flag is urgency. Garcia says it gets your brain to stop thinking and only focus on getting it to stop, and having to pay right away.

Always take a moment to evaluate the situation.

If you want to verify that the IRS is in fact, trying to contact you, you can call 1-800-829-1040 to confirm.