Tax Season Means Fake IRS Scams

Top IRS Scams to Watch Out for This Tax Season

Every spring, as millions of Americans race to file their returns, scammers see opportunity. Tax season is prime hunting season for fraudsters who use fear, urgency, and increasingly sophisticated technology to steal your money, your refund, and your identity.

Here's everything you need to know to protect yourself.

1. IRS Impersonation by Email and Text (Phishing & Smishing)

One of the oldest tricks in the book, but it still works. Scammers send emails, texts, and social media messages that look like they're coming from the IRS, complete with official-looking logos, alarming language, and QR codes that redirect you to a fake IRS website. Once there, you're prompted to "verify" your account, enter personal information, or claim a bogus refund.

What to know: The IRS logged more than 600 social media impersonators during fiscal year 2025 alone. Clicking malicious links can also install ransomware on your device, locking you out of your own files.

What to do: Never click unsolicited links claiming to be from the IRS. Report suspicious emails to phishing@irs.gov.

2. AI-Enabled IRS Impersonation by Phone

Phone scams have entered a new era. Criminals are now using AI-generated voices, robocalls, and spoofed caller IDs to make calls appear to come from the IRS. These calls may threaten arrest, demand immediate payment, or claim your Social Security number has been suspended.

What to know: The IRS does not leave urgent, threatening voicemails. It does not demand immediate payment over the phone. The IRS initiates contact through mailed letters first — period.

What to do: If you get a suspicious IRS-related call, hang up. Do not engage, do not provide information.

3. Fake Charities

After natural disasters and national crises, fraudsters are quick to create fake nonprofits designed to collect donations — and your personal information.

What to know: A charitable deduction is only valid if the organization is officially recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt entity.

What to do: Before donating, verify charities at IRS.gov/charities or through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool.

4. Misleading Tax Advice on Social Media

Viral "tax hacks" on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube may seem like insider tips, but many encourage taxpayers to file false returns or claim credits they don't qualify for. The IRS and the Coalition Against Scam and Scheme Threats (CASST) have identified social media misinformation as a major driver of improper filings.

What to know: Following bad advice — even unknowingly — can result in refund delays, audits, penalties, or criminal charges.

What to do: Get your tax advice from the IRS website, a licensed CPA, or a credentialed tax professional — not social media.

5. Identity Theft Targeting IRS Online Accounts

Cybercriminals use stolen personal data to access taxpayer IRS accounts online. In some cases, scammers even pose as "helpers" during the account setup process to harvest your login credentials.

What to know: If someone files a tax return using your Social Security number before you do, your legitimate return will be rejected.

What to do: Create and manage your IRS account only at IRS.gov. Never share your credentials with any unsolicited third party. If you suspect identity theft, visit IRS.gov/idtheft.

Key Red Flags: How to Spot an IRS Scam

The IRS contacts you by phone, email, or text before sending a letter
The caller demands immediate payment, especially via gift cards or wire transfer
The message contains threatening language about arrest or legal action
You're asked to click a link or scan a QR code to verify your account
Someone offers to "help" you set up your IRS account unsolicited
A tax preparer refuses to sign your return or provide a PTIN
A "tax hack" on social media promises a refund you didn't expect