Overview

• Tax-related identity theft is surging, with scammers filing fraudulent returns using stolen personal information to claim refunds.
• Older individuals are disproportionately targeted, with scammers impersonating IRS agents and using high-pressure tactics to demand untraceable payments.
• The IRS highlights the importance of filing taxes early and using Identity Protection PINs (IP PINs) to reduce the risk of fraud.
• Advanced AI technologies, such as deepfakes and hyper-realistic phishing messages, are making scams more convincing and harder to detect.
• IRS workforce cuts are raising concerns about the agency's ability to respond effectively to the growing volume of tax-related scams.