The agency pictured the change a reducing public confusion and enhance overall safety for taxpayers and IRS employees. Unannounced visits will end.  “except in a few unique circumstances and will be replaced with mailed letters to schedule meetings,” the IRS said.

The growth in scam artists bombarding taxpayers has increased confusion about home visits by IRS revenue officers, IRS commissioner Danny Werfel said the agency’s. statement. He noted scam artists posing as IRS agents sometimes visits taxpayers.

Previously unarmed agency employees visited households and businesses to help taxpayers resolve account balances by collecting unpaid taxes and unfiled tax returns.  Now, taxpayers will receive appointment letters to set the time and place for meetings.

The National Treasury Employees Union welcomed the policy change.

"The safety of IRS employees is of paramount importance and this decision will help protect those whose jobs have only grown more dangerous in recent years because of false, inflammatory rhetoric about the agency and its workforce,” Tony Reardon, president of the union, said in a prepared statement.