Not only do you need to worry about IRS agents checking your tax returns. Now you also must worry about scammers claiming to be IRS agents and calling you and demanding immediate payment or immediate arrest and jail time. In recent years, nearly a half million people have been threatened by such bogus phone calls demanding credit or debit card settlement of the imaginary debts resulting in a lucrative payoff estimated at more than $15 million to the scammers. What you need to know is that the IRS would first mail you a bill (not a phone call), give you the chance to appeal their finding, not ask for credit or debit card numbers over a phone, and not threaten to have you arrested for immediate non-payment. If you should get a phone call threat claiming to come from the IRS, hang up and call the IRS at 800-829-1040.