Calls claiming to be from Inland Revenue
By the StoryCheck team · 5 min read · Published 18 August 2026
The call claims to be Inland Revenue. There is a debt, a warrant, and a deadline measured in hours. Every element is chosen to move you before you can check anything.
What the real agency never does
Inland Revenue does not threaten immediate arrest or deportation over the phone. It does not demand payment in gift cards, vouchers or cryptocurrency. It does not ask you to stay on the line while you go to a shop. And it does not text you a link to settle a debt.
You can check whether you actually owe anything by signing in to myIR through the website you type in yourself. If there is nothing there, there is nothing.
Who it targets
The script works hardest on people least able to test it: migrants on work or student visas, for whom a threat about immigration status carries real weight, and older people living alone. That targeting is deliberate, and it is worth passing this on to anyone in either group.
What to do
Hang up. Do not ring back the number that called. Sign in to myIR yourself, or ring Inland Revenue on a number published on its own website. Report the call to the Department of Internal Affairs, and to Netsafe. If you want to know what the calling number is, a reverse lookup will tell you whether it is a real line or an untraceable one.
| What they say | Why it is false | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| There is a warrant for your arrest | IRD does not make arrests by phone | Hang up and check myIR yourself |
| Pay today in vouchers or crypto | No government body collects this way | Never comply |
| Stay on the line until it is paid | Keeping you on the call prevents verification | Hang up and use another phone |
| Your visa will be cancelled | Immigration status is not settled by a phone payment | Contact the agency directly |
| Do not tell your family | Isolation is deliberate | Tell somebody immediately |
Common questions
Does Inland Revenue ever ring people?
Yes, about real matters. What it does not do is threaten arrest, demand vouchers or cryptocurrency, or insist you stay on the line. If in doubt, hang up and sign in to myIR yourself.
The number looked official. Does that mean anything?
No. Caller ID can be set to display any number, including a real government line. Never treat the displayed number as proof.
I already paid. What now?
Ring your bank immediately, because speed determines whether anything can be recovered. Then report it to the Police and to the Department of Internal Affairs.
Related guides
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