{"id":166013,"date":"2024-03-11T06:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T13:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=166013"},"modified":"2024-11-20T21:22:24","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T05:22:24","slug":"tax-time-is-prime-time-for-scammers-how-to-stay-safe-when-paying-your-taxes-to-the-irs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/tax-time-is-prime-time-for-scammers-how-to-stay-safe-when-paying-your-taxes-to-the-irs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stay Safe When Paying Your Taxes to the IRS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who else loves tax season besides accountants? Scammers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s high time of year for online risks here in the U.S. with the onset of tax season, where scammers unleash all manner of scams aimed at taxpayers. The complexity, and even uncertainty, of filing a proper tax return can stir up anxieties like, <\/span>Have I filed correctly<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Did I claim the right deductions<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Will I get audited<\/span><\/i>, and <\/span>Will I get stung with a tax penalty<\/span><\/i> are just a few\u2014and these are the very same anxieties that criminals use as the cornerstone of their attacks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet like so many scams, tax scams give off telltale signs that they\u2019re indeed not on the up-and-up. You have ways you can spot one before you get caught up in one.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Scammers prey on the uncertainty of tax season<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

In all, we\u2019ve learned to watch our step with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), so much so that receiving a notification from the IRS can feel like an unwanted surprise. <\/span>Uh oh, did I do something wrong?<\/span><\/i> However, in reality, <\/span>less than 2% of returns get audited<\/span><\/a> and most discrepancies or adjustments can get handled easily if addressed promptly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Still, that wariness of the IRS makes for ripe pickings when it comes to hackers, who prey on people\u2019s fear of audits and penalties. Common scams include email phishing attacks, phone calls from crooks posing as IRS agents, texts claiming there\u2019s a problem with our tax software, and even robocalls that threaten jail time for unpaid back taxes. What\u2019s more, fraudsters can take things a step further by committing identity theft and then filing tax claims in other people\u2019s names.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With that, let\u2019s dig into a list of the top scams wind up on our screens and phones during tax time.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tax scams to look out for<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

This IRS <\/span><\/b>Dirty Dozen<\/span><\/i><\/b>: Top tax-season scams<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Straight from the authority itself, <\/span>the IRS publishes its <\/span>Dirty Dozen<\/span><\/i>, an annual list of the top tax season scams<\/span><\/a>. Year-over-year, many of the same scams make the list, yet new ones continue to crop up as scammers try to take advantage of current events. A couple recent examples include email phishing scams centered around Employee Retention Credits, pandemic relief checks, and federal stimulus checks. Additionally, the IRS has warned filers about disinformation that circulates on social media, such as bogus advice that urges filers to alter their W-2 figures for a better refund. With new scams entering the mix every tax season, the Dirty Dozen offers plenty of good advice that can help you steer clear of scams.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Robocalls and other phone scams<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

We all know the annoyance of spammy phone calls, whether they\u2019re for phony car warranties, tech support services, or debt collection agencies. During this time of year, you can add phony IRS agents and financial service providers to the list.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The stories that scammers will tell will vary, but they often share common themes:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n