FTC and IRS Warn of AI‑Driven Tax Scams This Season
The FTC and IRS are warning taxpayers that AI‑driven tax scams—using robocalls, voice mimicry and increasingly sophisticated phishing emails, fake texts and scam calls—are rising this season as criminals try to steal credentials and file returns using victims’ Social Security numbers. Rosario Mendez of the FTC says identity theft often shows up when someone else has already filed with a person’s SSN; experts including Identity Theft Resource Center CEO Eva Velasquez urge consumers to “Type, don’t tap” by manually entering official sites like IRS.gov, and AARP’s Kathy Stokes notes younger people report scams more often while older adults suffer larger financial losses.
📌 Key Facts
- Rosario Mendez, an attorney with the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection, says identity theft often surfaces when taxpayers discover someone else has already filed using their Social Security number.
- Identity Theft Resource Center CEO Eva Velasquez advises "Type, don't tap" — manually enter official URLs (for example, IRS.gov) instead of clicking links in unsolicited messages.
- AARP fraud-prevention director Kathy Stokes notes younger people more often report being scammed, while older adults tend to suffer greater financial losses because they have more assets.
- Scammers are using AI to generate robocalls and mimic voices to impersonate people and increase credibility.
- AI is also being used to boost the volume and sophistication of phishing emails, fake texts and scam phone calls aimed at gaining access to devices and accounts.
📊 Relevant Data
According to a 2024 Consumer Reports survey, 14% of Black consumers and 13% of Latino consumers in the U.S. have lost money to a cyberattack or digital scam, compared to 6% of White consumers. Black Americans make up about 13% of the U.S. population, while Hispanic Americans make up about 19%.
Digital Scams More Likely to Hurt Black and Latino Consumers — Consumer Reports
In reports to the Identity Theft Resource Center from April 2024 to March 2025, among those who shared ethnicity, Black or African American individuals most commonly reported PII shared during a scam (9%), stolen documents with personal information (7%), and checking account takeover (6%), while White individuals reported PII shared during a scam (17%), fraudulent new credit card (8%), and checking account takeover (6%). Black Americans make up about 13% of the U.S. population.
2025 Trends in Identity Report — Identity Theft Resource Center
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Names and quotes Rosario Mendez, an attorney with the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection, explaining how identity theft often surfaces when taxpayers discover someone else has already filed using their Social Security number.
- Provides detailed behavioral advice from Identity Theft Resource Center CEO Eva Velasquez, including the specific guidance to "Type, don't tap" — manually entering official URLs like IRS.gov instead of clicking links in unsolicited messages.
- Includes commentary from AARP fraud-prevention director Kathy Stokes noting that younger people more often report being scammed, while older adults tend to suffer greater financial losses because they have more assets.
- Further emphasizes that AI is being used not only for robocalls and voice mimicry but also to increase the volume and sophistication of phishing emails, fake texts and scam phone calls aimed at gaining access to devices and accounts.