I started looking into the American Tax Advisors calls because the same voicemail seems to be landing on people’s phones over and over again, often from completely different numbers. The message usually sounds professional enough at first. A woman introduces herself as someone from American Tax Advisors, says there is an urgent matter involving tax balances or unfiled returns, and then talks about programs that could supposedly reduce or even eliminate what you owe. If you have ever had a complicated tax year, that kind of message can make you wonder whether something slipped through the cracks.
The more I looked into it, the clearer the pattern became. These unsolicited “American Tax Advisors” tax debt calls are part of a scam campaign, and the people making the calls appear to be using the name of a legitimate business to make the story sound believable. The FTC has specifically warned about a wave of unexpected calls claiming that people owe back taxes, while recent BBB Scam Tracker reports show numerous consumers receiving almost identical American Tax Advisors voicemails from constantly changing phone numbers.
What makes this one particularly irritating is that many people receiving the calls don’t owe any back taxes at all. Some say they’ve filed and paid their taxes normally, yet the voicemail still claims that they have tax balances or unfiled returns that need immediate attention.
What Is the American Tax Advisors Scam?
The call generally follows a remarkably similar script. You may hear something along the lines of a representative calling about a “time sensitive matter” involving tax balances or unfiled returns. The caller then says a notice was sent explaining programs that could significantly reduce or eliminate the amount owed and suggests that the opportunity may expire soon.
The message usually ends by telling you to press a number or call a telephone number to speak with a tax specialist.
That sounds like the sort of thing that could come from a tax-resolution company, which is precisely why the scam works. The caller isn’t necessarily demanding thousands of dollars during the first few seconds. Instead, the voicemail is designed to get you worried enough to call back and start a conversation.
Recent BBB Scam Tracker reports show that this exact pattern has been reported repeatedly in July and August 2026. One person reported receiving calls almost every day for months, with different numbers being used each time, while another said the calls were claiming to offer programs for tax balances and unfiled returns even though the person had no such tax problem.
The Calls Are Using the Name “American Tax Advisors”
This part is important because there actually appears to be a legitimate business using a very similar name.
American Tax Advisers, LLC in Arizona has a website that specifically warns visitors about spam calls claiming to be from “American Tax Advisors” and “American Tax Consultants.” The company says the callers are not connected with its business, that they do not make cold calls for tax business or payments, and that scammers are imitating the company’s name.
That explains why simply searching for “American Tax Advisors” and finding a real tax company doesn’t prove that the person who called you was legitimate.
Someone can borrow the name of an existing company, make the caller ID show a different number and leave a voicemail that sounds completely professional. The real business may have nothing to do with the call.
The American Tax Advisors Voicemail Is Easy to Recognize
One of the most interesting things about this scam is how repetitive the messages are.
A BBB Scam Tracker report from August 14, 2026 included a voicemail in which “Jessica with American Tax Advisors” claimed to be calling about a time-sensitive issue involving tax balances or unfiled returns. The message went on to claim that programs were available that could significantly reduce or eliminate the amount owed and said this might be the final opportunity to take advantage of them.
Another report from August 11 described almost the same message, except the caller identified herself as “Amanda.” The person receiving the calls said they were coming from different numbers and that the calls had continued repeatedly.
That changing-name, changing-number pattern is one reason I would not assume you’re dealing with a normal tax advisor who simply happens to be calling from a new office number.
Why Does the Caller Say You Have Unfiled Returns?
Because it creates uncertainty.
You might immediately think about whether you missed a tax document, forgot to file something or received a notice you overlooked. The caller doesn’t need you to know that you actually owe money. They just need you to become worried enough to call back.
The FTC has warned about this broader type of tax scam and says scammers may claim that you owe back taxes, haven’t filed returns or qualify for a special IRS liability-reduction program. The agency says those programs described by the scammers aren’t real and warns consumers not to give unexpected callers personal or financial information.
That’s an important point because legitimate tax problems do exist. Someone can genuinely owe the IRS money, which means a scammer doesn’t have to invent an unbelievable story. They only have to take a real possibility and attach a fake emergency to it.
The “IRS Liability Reduction Program” Story
Some versions of this scam mention an alleged IRS liability reduction program or special tax-relief program that could dramatically lower your debt.
That sounds attractive if you actually owe the IRS, but the FTC specifically warned that scammers have been using claims about an “IRS liability reduction program” as part of these calls.
This is one of the reasons I would be very suspicious of any unexpected caller promising that your tax debt can suddenly be reduced or eliminated if you act immediately.
There are legitimate tax-resolution options available to people who owe money, but that doesn’t mean every person offering to help you access them is legitimate. If you really have an IRS problem, there are much safer ways to find out what you owe than calling the number left in a random voicemail.
Are American Tax Advisors Calls AI-Generated?
There are reports from people describing the calls as automated or AI-sounding, and one Reddit discussion from August 2026 describes repeated voicemails using the same script while changing the caller’s name and telephone number.
I wouldn’t claim that every voicemail is definitively AI-generated because the audio would need to be examined individually. What is clear from the reports is that the script is highly repetitive, with different callers and numbers delivering nearly identical messages.
That makes sense from a scammer’s perspective because automated calling allows thousands of people to be contacted without someone having to personally speak with each recipient.
Why Are They Calling From Different Numbers?
This is another complaint that appears repeatedly.
People report blocking one number only to receive essentially the same American Tax Advisors message from another number later. The BBB Scam Tracker includes reports describing multiple different telephone numbers, while a Reddit user said the calls came from different numbers and even different spoofed area codes.
Changing numbers makes traditional call blocking less effective. It also creates the impression that the calls are coming from different offices when they’re actually part of the same campaign.
If you’ve blocked three or four numbers and another voicemail with the same tax-balance script suddenly appears from a completely different number, you’re seeing the same pattern reported by other consumers.
The IRS Does Not Start Tax Collection This Way
This is probably the most useful thing to remember if one of these calls catches you off guard.
The FTC says that the IRS’s first contact with taxpayers about a tax issue is generally through the mail, not an unexpected phone call demanding immediate action. The agency specifically advises consumers who receive unexpected back-tax calls to verify their situation through IRS.gov rather than using a telephone number supplied by the caller.
That doesn’t mean the IRS can never call you. It means an unexpected voicemail saying you have a serious tax problem and need to call a mystery “tax resolution specialist” is not something you should accept at face value.
If you’re genuinely concerned that you owe the IRS money, check your tax account through the official IRS website or contact the IRS using contact information you obtain independently.
What Are They Trying to Get From You?
The first goal is usually to get you to engage with the caller.
Once you’re on the phone, the conversation can move from “we noticed a tax problem” to questions about your identity, income, tax history and financial situation. The FTC warns that scammers may use these calls to obtain sensitive personal information such as your Social Security number or financial details. In some cases, they may also demand upfront fees for tax-relief services that don’t actually deliver what was promised.
That’s why I wouldn’t call the number back simply because the voicemail sounds official.
The fact that the caller knows your name, address or another piece of personal information doesn’t prove the call is genuine either. The FTC has warned that scammers can obtain personal information and use it to make an impersonation more convincing.
What If You Really Do Owe Back Taxes?
This is where people can get trapped because the scam is built around a real problem.
If you genuinely owe the IRS, you don’t need an unknown caller to tell you that you have options. There are legitimate ways to verify your balance and investigate payment arrangements directly through the IRS.
I would never use the phone number in the American Tax Advisors voicemail to confirm whether the tax problem is real. Instead, go directly to the official IRS website and check your account or obtain the appropriate contact information there. The FTC specifically recommends contacting the IRS through IRS.gov rather than relying on a number provided by an unexpected caller.
That way, even if you really do have an outstanding balance, you’re dealing with the actual tax authority or a professional you independently selected rather than somebody who appeared unexpectedly in your voicemail.
What If You Already Gave Them Your Information?
If you gave an American Tax Advisors caller your Social Security number, bank details, credit card information or other sensitive information, I would take the situation seriously rather than assuming nothing will happen.
The appropriate response depends on exactly what you disclosed. If banking or card information was involved, contact the financial institution through its official telephone number and explain what happened. If you provided information that could be used for identity theft, consider the appropriate identity-theft protection steps as well.
The FTC also recommends reporting scams through its fraud-reporting system so that the information can be used to identify and investigate scam patterns.
What About the “Press 1” Option?
Several versions of the voicemail tell you to press a number to speak with a tax specialist, while others provide a callback number.
I wouldn’t press the button simply to find out what happens. The whole purpose of the call is to move you from a recorded message into a conversation where the person on the other end can begin asking questions and selling you a supposed tax-resolution service.
Even the option to “press 8 to be removed from future calls” shouldn’t be treated as a guarantee that the calls will stop. BBB Scam Tracker reports include people who say they continued receiving calls after trying to deal with the messages.
American Tax Advisors Scam Calls: My Verdict
After looking at the FTC warning, the recent BBB Scam Tracker reports and the statement from the legitimate American Tax Advisers business that scammers are impersonating its name, I would treat unexpected American Tax Advisors tax-debt calls as a scam.
The pattern is too consistent to ignore. People are receiving calls from constantly changing numbers, the messages use nearly identical language about tax balances and unfiled returns, and the callers create urgency by suggesting that special programs could reduce or eliminate what people supposedly owe. Recent BBB reports from July and August 2026 show that this campaign is still active.
The biggest thing I would not do is call the number in the voicemail and start giving the person information about your taxes. If you’re genuinely worried that you have an IRS balance, check it independently through the official IRS website.
And if you haven’t received any tax notice and know that your returns are filed, don’t let a robotic voicemail convince you that you’ve suddenly got a tax emergency. The FTC has already warned about this exact type of unexpected back-tax call.
So for anyone searching American Tax Advisors scam, the answer is fairly clear: the unsolicited calls using this name are part of a tax scam/impersonation campaign, not a legitimate IRS notification.
If the call says you have a tax balance, don’t let the caller’s urgency decide what you do next. Verify the situation independently, and if there really is a tax problem, deal with it through the IRS or a tax professional you choose yourself.
Check out Kelly Services scam, I talked about earlier.