FTC and IRS Warn of AI‑Driven Tax Scams This Season
The Federal Trade Commission’s consumer protection bureau and the IRS say robocalls, texts and phishing emails targeting U.S. taxpayers are up this tax season compared with prior years, with artificial intelligence making impersonation scams more convincing. The IRS reports more than 600 social‑media impersonator accounts in fiscal 2025 and warns it does not text or call to demand immediate payment, leave threatening prerecorded messages, or request account verification through links or QR codes. Officials and advocates describe a surge of AI‑aided voice mimicry, spoofed caller ID and polished phishing messages that drive taxpayers to fake IRS websites, where malware may be installed or personal data harvested for identity‑theft refund fraud. Experts from the FTC, AARP and the Identity Theft Resource Center urge people to ignore unsolicited contacts, manually type official URLs like IRS.gov instead of tapping links, and recognize that while younger people report more incidents, older Americans tend to lose more money. The guidance comes amid a broader "deluge" of tax‑related scams that are increasingly sophisticated and national in scope as 2025 returns are being filed.
📌 Key Facts
- FTC consumer protection bureau says robocalls, texts and phishing attempts tied to taxes are up this season versus prior years, with AI likely boosting attempts.
- IRS reports over 600 social‑media impersonator accounts in fiscal year 2025 and reiterates it does not initiate contact by text or threatening prerecorded calls demanding immediate payment.
- Identity‑theft refund fraud often emerges only when taxpayers try to file and find a return already submitted in their name, prompting officials to advise: "type, don’t tap" links and avoid engaging with unsolicited messages.
📊 Relevant Data
In a 2023 study, 16% of Black identity theft victims lost more than $5,000, compared to 11% of victims in the general population. Black Americans make up about 13% of the U.S. population.
ID Crime Victims in Black Communities Lose More Money Than General Population — Identity Theft Resource Center
In a 2023 study, 19% of identity theft victims in Black communities spent a year or more resolving their cases, and 16% spent three months to a year, representing an 8 percentage point increase over the general population for the latter timeframe. Black Americans make up about 13% of the U.S. population.
ID Crime Victims in Black Communities Lose More Money Than General Population — Identity Theft Resource Center
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