Tax season creates a rare and dangerous overlap: Americans are sharing their most sensitive personal information at the exact moment scammers are most alert.
W-2s arrive. Payroll portals light up. Refund notifications start circulating. Messages from employers, tax services, and government agencies suddenly feel routine… expected, even.
That’s the opening scammers wait for.
According to McAfee’s 2025 tax season research, nearly half (48%) of Americans say they or someone they know has received a message falsely claiming to be from the IRS or a state tax authority. Those messages arrive via email, text, phone calls, social media, and increasingly through channels that don’t look suspicious at all.
And when they work, the consequences can be severe.
This tax season, the biggest risk isn’t just clicking the wrong link. It’s how easily personal information can be weaponized once it’s exposed, and how quickly identity theft and credit damage can follow.
How tax-related identity theft happens
Rather than a single “step-by-step” scam, tax fraud usually unfolds as a chain reaction once personal information is exposed.
Here’s how the risk typically escalates:
1) Information enters circulation
W-2s, tax forms, and payroll data are shared across email, HR portals, cloud storage, and tax software accounts. Even legitimate workflows expand the attack surface.
2) Scammers impersonate trusted entities
Using stolen or scraped data, criminals pose as:
- The IRS or state tax agencies
- Payroll departments
- Tax preparation services like TurboTax or H&R Block
In McAfee’s research:
- 48% encountered fake IRS messages
- 33% saw impersonation of tax preparation services
- 35% were baited with fake refund messages containing malicious prompts
3) Victims are pressured to “fix” a problem
Messages claim a refund was rejected, taxes are overdue, or identity verification is required. The urgency is the point.
4) Personal or financial data is harvested
Once victims respond, scammers collect SSNs, bank details, credit card numbers, or authentication codes, often without ever sending a malicious link.
5) Identity theft follows
Refund fraud, unauthorized credit applications, and account takeovers often happen weeks or months later, when victims least expect it.
This is why tax scams are so damaging: the real fallout often shows up long after filing season ends.
How to protect yourself before you file
Tax season rewards preparation. These steps help reduce risk before problems start.
- File early if possible: Filing sooner reduces the window scammers have to submit fraudulent returns in your name.
- Treat tax-related messages with skepticism: Unexpected messages asking for documents, payment, or verification should be independently confirmed through official channels.
- Monitor your credit and identity: Identity theft often surfaces as unauthorized accounts or sudden credit changes. Regular monitoring helps catch issues early.
- Reduce your online data footprint: Scammers often source contact details and background information from data broker sites. Limiting what’s publicly available reduces targeting.
- Avoid clicking on tax-related links: Type official URLs directly into your browser instead of clicking links in messages or ads.
Why McAfee+ Advanced is built for tax-season identity risk
Tax scams expose a broader truth: protecting yourself today means limiting both exposure and impact.
That’s why McAfee+ Advanced now includes expanded identity and financial protection officially rolling out to users today, designed for high-risk moments like tax season.
Automatic personal info removal
McAfee+ Advanced helps automatically locate and remove your personal information from high-risk data broker sites that publish phone numbers, addresses, and emails scammers rely on.
Reducing this exposure makes it harder for criminals to impersonate you or target you during tax season.
Credit monitoring with one-click credit lock
If personal information is compromised, speed matters.
McAfee+ Advanced includes credit monitoring and a one-click credit lock experience, making it easier to prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name, a common escalation after tax-related identity theft.
Scam Detector, included across all McAfee+ core plans
In addition to identity and credit protections, all McAfee+ plans include Scam Detector, which helps flag suspicious texts, emails, links, and websites. That includes tax-related scam attempts that surface during filing season.
Protection that lasts beyond tax season
Tax scams may peak during filing season, but identity risk doesn’t follow a calendar. The same tools that help protect your W-2 and tax information also help reduce exposure to data breaches, account takeovers, and everyday fraud throughout the year.
McAfee+ Advanced is designed for that reality; protecting your personal information, finances, and digital life not just during tax season, but year-round.
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