You file your return, triple-check the numbers, and wait for your refund to land in your bank account within the usual 21-day window. Then a text arrives that looks exactly like it came from the IRS, warning you about a verification issue that needs immediate attention.
You click the link, enter your Social Security number, and just like that, a stranger has everything needed to steal your identity.
That scenario is playing out across the country right now, and it is only one of a dozen schemes the IRS is tracking this season. Criminals are getting more creative, more aggressive, and far more convincing in their approaches than they were even 12 months ago.
The stakes are not small, either, because the financial damage from a single successful tax scam can follow you for years afterward.
The IRS released its 2026 Dirty Dozen list on March 5, coinciding with National Slam the Scam Day, to warn taxpayers about the threats. This year’s list includes a brand-new entry and confirms that artificial intelligence has become a weapon in the hands of tax fraudsters.
Here is what you need to know to protect yourself, your refund, and your personal financial information before the April 15 deadline arrives.
1. Phishing emails and AI-powered phone calls top the IRS threat list
The most common scam on the 2026 list involves fake emails, text messages, and social media posts that appear to be official IRS communications. These phishing and smishing attacks use alarming language and QR codes that route you to counterfeit IRS websites where your data gets harvested.
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The agency logged more than 600 social media impersonators during fiscal year 2025 alone, the IRS reported. Clicking any link in an unsolicited message could install ransomware on your device and permanently lock you out of your personal files.
2. AI-generated robocalls make fake IRS agents sound disturbingly real
Phone scams now use computer-generated voice mimicry, robocalls, and spoofed caller ID numbers that display legitimate-looking IRS phone numbers on your screen. The IRS reminds you that it generally initiates contact by mail first and never demands immediate payment or threatens you with arrest over the phone.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be the IRS, hang up immediately and verify the call through the agency’s official website. Another AI caution: avoid relying on AI-generated tools for complex tax questions because those responses may contain errors that trigger audit flags later.
3. Social media “tax hacks” and fake charities prey on your trust
Viral posts promoting so-called tax hacks on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube push you to file returns with false information or claim credits you never qualified for. The result ranges from refund delays and IRS audits to civil penalties or criminal prosecution, the IRS and the Coalition Against Scam and Scheme Threats warn.
4. Fake charities exploit disasters to steal your donations and your data
Scammers frequently set up fake charitable organizations after natural disasters, mass emergencies, or high-profile tragedies to collect your money and information.
If you donate to a charity and want to claim the deduction, you should verify the organization is IRS-recognized by using the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool on IRS.gov before giving any money.
5. Identity theft through your IRS online account is a growing threat
Criminals may use stolen personal information to access your IRS online account, or they may pose as helpful third parties during the account setup process. You should only create your account directly through IRS.gov and never trust an unsolicited person or service offering to help you set it up on their end.
“Today, Slam the Scam Day, provides a great opportunity to remind everyone to remain vigilant and watch out for scams because thieves continuously adjust the pitches they use to take advantage of honest taxpayers,” IRS CEO Frank J. Bisignano said in a statement.
An Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number that prevents anyone else from filing a return using your Social Security number or taxpayer identification number.
You can request one for free through IRS.gov, and the IRS will send you a new PIN every year to keep your account protected from unauthorised filings, the IRS Identity Theft Central page explains.
6. The fake “self-employment tax credit” does not exist
Scammers promote a broad self-employment tax credit on social media and through email campaigns designed to encourage inaccurate filings and generate improper refunds. The IRS warns that most taxpayers targeted by this scheme do not qualify, and the agency is closely reviewing every claim filed under this provision.
7. Overstated withholding schemes manufacture fake refunds from fabricated wage data
These schemes instruct you to inflate withholding amounts on your return, sometimes described as “other withholding,” to generate a much larger refund than you are owed. The IRS matches withholding claims against employer records and third-party data, so inaccurate claims can quickly lead to penalties and enforcement action.
8. Abusive capital gains claims are a new addition to the Dirty Dozen this year
The IRS added abusive undistributed long-term capital gains claims to the 2026 list after seeing a rise in fabricated Form 2439 filings, the agency noted. Some of these fraudulent claims have been falsely linked to well-known investment funds and real estate trusts that had no involvement with the taxpayer at all.
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9. Ghost preparers and inflated appraisals put your entire return at risk
A ghost preparer is someone who fills out your tax return for a fee but refuses to sign the completed form or include their Preparer Tax Identification Number. When a preparer will not sign, that is a major red flag because you are legally responsible for every number on your return, regardless of who prepared it.
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The IRS urges you to choose a trusted tax professional and never sign a blank or incomplete return, no matter how much the preparer pressures you to do so in order to speed the process. You can verify a preparer’s credentials through the IRS directory of federal tax return preparers with recognized qualifications listed on the IRS website.
10. Non-cash charitable contribution schemes inflate your deductions with fake appraisals
Some promoters use syndicated conservation easements or inflated art appraisals to promise you massive tax deductions that eliminate your liability almost entirely. The IRS can hold your refund while it verifies these claims, and if the deduction turns out to be fraudulent, you could face penalties far exceeding what you saved.
11. Tax professionals are also targets, and that puts your data at risk
Cybercriminals are sending spear-phishing emails disguised as new client inquiries or document requests directly to tax preparers and accounting firms nationwide. These emails contain malicious links or attachments that can compromise entire client databases and expose your sensitive financial records to identity thieves outside the firm.
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Before sharing any documents with your tax preparer, confirm that the firm uses multi-factor authentication, encrypted file transfers, and secure client portals for all communications.
The IRS and the Security Summit urge all preparers to strengthen their cybersecurity practices because a single compromised firm can affect thousands of clients at once.
12. Offer in Compromise “mills” charge you thousands for results they cannot deliver
The IRS Offer in Compromise program lets certain eligible taxpayers settle their tax debt for less than the full amount owed under specific qualifying circumstances. But so-called OIC mills run aggressive TV and online ads that overpromise dramatic results and charge steep upfront fees to taxpayers who never qualified for help.
You can check whether you qualify for an Offer in Compromise using the IRS pre-qualifier tool at no cost before paying anyone a cent in professional fees. If a company guarantees it can reduce your tax debt by a specific amount before reviewing your financials, that guarantee itself is the clearest warning sign of trouble.
The financial toll from tax fraud keeps climbing every single year
Consumers reported $15.9 billion in total fraud losses in 2025, a substantial jump from the $12.5 billion reported the year before, the Federal Trade Commission testified before the Joint Economic Committee this month.
Imposter scams alone, which include IRS impersonation, accounted for more than $3.5 billion in reported losses during that same period across the country.
The average reported loss per tax scam victim reached $8,401 in a recent survey, with the highest single reported loss hitting $75,000, a Norton analysis of Gen Digital survey data found.
IRS impersonation was the most commonly encountered tax scam, reported by 32% of respondents, followed by fraudulent phone calls and phishing text messages from unknown senders.
Five steps you should take now to protect your refund and your identity
You do not need to be a cybersecurity expert to defend yourself against tax scams, but you do need to act before a scammer does it first. These five steps can reduce your exposure significantly and make it much harder for criminals to file a fraudulent return using your personal information.
Your refund protection checklist
- Step 1: File your tax return as early as possible because a scammer cannot file a fraudulent return using your Social Security number after yours has been accepted.
- Step 2: Request an Identity Protection PIN through IRS.gov so that the IRS adds an extra layer of verification before processing any return filed in your name.
- Step 3: Never click links in unsolicited texts, emails, or social media messages claiming to be from the IRS, because the agency does not initiate contact through these channels.
- Step 4: Verify your tax preparer’s credentials through the IRS directory and confirm they will sign your return and include their Preparer Tax Identification Number on the form.
- Step 5: Report suspicious IRS-related communications by forwarding phishing emails to phishing@irs.gov or by using the new online fraud reporting tool at IRS.gov/SubmitATip.
Filing season urgency is exactly what scammers are counting on from you
The IRS expects approximately 164 million individual tax returns to be filed for the 2025 tax year, and the April 15 deadline creates pressure that scammers exploit. When you feel rushed, you are far more likely to click a suspicious link, trust an unsolicited caller, or hand over sensitive data without first verifying anything.
Every scam on the Dirty Dozen list relies on the same psychological trigger: urgency combined with fear that something has gone wrong with your tax situation. The single most effective defense you have is slowing down, verifying independently through IRS.gov, and remembering that the IRS contacts you by mail first rather than by phone.
Your refund is worth protecting, and so is your identity, because the financial damage from a successful tax scam can take months or years to fully resolve. Take 10 minutes today to request an Identity Protection PIN, verify your preparer, and remind your family that the IRS will never demand payment by phone or text message.
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