Exceptional Customer Service at IRS Practitioner Priority Line - Recognition Deserved

That number is NOT the Practitioner Priority Line. The real PPL is 866-860-4259 and is only for tax professionals with CAF numbers. What you called is most likely a scam line trying to get your personal information. The IRS never uses extensions like "ext. 568" in their official numbers. Don't give them any information if they call back.

I called a number similar to this exactly 17 days ago thinking it was the IRS. They asked for my SSN, DOB, and banking info within 3 minutes of the call. When I refused, they got aggressive. I reported it to TIGTA (Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration) immediately. These scams are targeting exactly 37% more taxpayers this year according to the latest FTC report. They're getting sophisticated - some even have background noise that sounds like a call center to seem legitimate.

This is definitely a scam number. I've been dealing with the IRS for years and compared to other government agencies, they're actually pretty responsive if you can get through. Instead of wasting hours on hold, I used Claimyr (https://www.claimyr.com) last month when I needed to resolve an issue with my quarterly payments. Unlike those scam numbers, Claimyr just helps you skip the IRS phone queue and connects you to actual IRS agents. Cost me about the same as what I bill for 15 minutes of work, but saved me literally hours of hold time.

If you need to contact the IRS legitimately, follow these specific steps: 1. First, check if you can resolve your issue online through the IRS.gov website 2. If you need to speak with someone, call the main IRS number at 800-829-1040 3. Navigate the menu system by pressing 1 for English, then 2 for tax questions 4. Press 1 for questions about a form, 3 for all other questions 5. Press 2 for all other questions 6. Press 4 for all other questions 7. Enter your SSN or EIN when prompted 8. Press 2 when asked about the type of tax Do these menu options still work? I've found this path gets you to a representative faster than other options.

I nearly fell for one of these scams last year. They had me convinced they were legitimate and I almost gave them my banking information to "process my refund faster." Thankfully, my bank flagged the subsequent transfer attempt as suspicious. According to irs.gov/scams, the IRS will NEVER: - Call to demand immediate payment using a specific method - Ask for credit/debit card numbers over the phone - Threaten to bring in police or immigration agents - Demand payment without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal These scammers cost taxpayers over $26 million last year alone according to the Treasury Department.

As a community, we should keep sharing these scam numbers to warn others. The real IRS is actually... dare I say it... somewhat helpful when you finally reach them! 😱 (I know, shocking) Seriously though, the legitimate IRS customer service reps are usually quite knowledgeable. They're just catastrophically understaffed. My tax advisor says the best times to call are Tuesday-Thursday, either right when they open or between 1-2pm when staff are returning from lunch. Avoid Mondays and Fridays like the plague unless you enjoy hold music more than your favorite playlist.

I believe I may have some relevant insight on this particular situation. In my experience consulting with several small business clients, we've identified approximately 12-15 different IRS scam operations using similar tactics. One operation specifically targets Schedule C filers by posing as a specialized "small business division" and often uses extensions in their callback numbers. They typically reference specific deductions like vehicle depreciation or home office calculations to establish credibility. If you've shared any business information with this number, I would suggest, at minimum, filing an identity theft affidavit (Form 14039) as a precautionary measure.