You can always be lucky. I was audited a few years ago, they didn't find any issues. So, just for fun, they added a special audit 3 months later. Needless to say they didn't find anything that time either.
Don't talk to the police or the IRS. They are never aligned with your interests, and whether you get a reasonable person or someone who just loves to ruin your day is random.
Let me precise, I was audited because I forgot a 1099 form. It was a stupid mistake on my side. If you’re being audited just so they can root around and find a problems, then yeah be careful.
I've never been audited, but isn't it more a case of "you must talk to the IRS or they'll simply collect what they think you owe and leave you no recourse"?
Sure, you have to provide the stuff they request, just like you have to comply with police officers in the moment, but you don't need to (and should not) talk "help" them or give them any information beyond what you're required by law, which is often your name and not much more.
If our local IRS equivalent contacted me "to clear something up", I'd defer them to my tax consultant in all cases. Assuming good faith with state employees is often a costly mistake.
Don't talk to the police or the IRS. They are never aligned with your interests, and whether you get a reasonable person or someone who just loves to ruin your day is random.