{"id":94481,"date":"2024-04-08T06:27:04","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T13:27:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/?p=94481"},"modified":"2025-06-11T06:07:49","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T13:07:49","slug":"how-to-steer-clear-of-tax-season-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/how-to-steer-clear-of-tax-season-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Steer Clear of Tax Season Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s that time of year again \u2013 tax season! Whether you\u2019ve already filed in the hopes of an early refund or have yet to start the process, one thing is for sure: cybercriminals will certainly use tax season as a means to get victims to give up their personal and financial information. This time of year is advantageous for malicious actors since the IRS and tax preparers are some of the few people who actually need your personal data. As a result, consumers are targeted with various scams impersonating trusted sources like the IRS or DIY tax software companies. Fortunately, every year the\u00a0IRS outlines the most prevalent tax scams<\/a>, such as voice phishing, email phishing, and fake tax software scams. Let\u2019s explore the details of these threats.<\/p>\n

So, how do cybercriminals use voice phishing to impersonate the IRS?\u00a0Voice phishing, a form of criminal phone fraud, uses social engineering tactics to gain access to victims\u2019 personal and financial information. For tax scams, criminals will make unsolicited calls posing as the IRS and leave voicemails requesting an immediate callback. The crooks will then demand that the victim pay a phony tax bill in the form of a wire transfer, prepaid debit card or gift card. In one case outlined by\u00a0Forbes, victims received emails in their inbox that allegedly contained voicemails from the IRS. The emails didn\u2019t actually contain any voicemails but instead directed victims to a suspicious SharePoint URL. Last year, a number of SharePoint phishing scams occurred as an attempt to steal Office 365 credentials, so it\u2019s not surprising that cybercriminals are using this technique to access taxpayers\u2019 personal data now as well.<\/p>\n

In addition to voice phishing schemes, malicious actors are also using email to try and get consumers to give up their personal and financial information. This year alone, almost 400 IRS phishing URLs have been reported.\u00a0In a typical email phishing scheme, scammers try to obtain personal tax information like usernames and passwords by using spoofed email addresses and stolen logos. In many cases, the emails contain suspicious hyperlinks that redirect users to a fake site or PDF attachments that may download malware or viruses. If a victim clicks on these malicious links or attachments, they can seriously endanger their tax data by giving identity thieves the opportunity to steal their refund. What\u2019s more, cybercriminals are also using subject lines like \u201cIRS Important Notice\u201d and \u201cIRS Taxpayer Notice\u201d and demanding payment or threatening to seize the victim\u2019s tax refund.<\/p>\n

Cybercriminals are even going so far as to\u00a0impersonate trusted brands like TurboTax for their scams. In this case, DIY tax preparers who search for TurboTax software on Google are shown ads for pirated versions of TurboTax. The victims will pay a fee for the software via PayPal, only to have their computer infected with malware after downloading the software. You may be wondering, how do victims happen upon this malicious software through a simple Google search? Unfortunately, scammers have been paying to have their spoofed sites show up in search results, increasing the chances that an innocent taxpayer will fall victim to their scheme.<\/p>\n

Money is a prime motivator for many consumers, and malicious actors are fully prepared to exploit this. Many people are concerned about how much they might owe or are predicting how much they\u2019ll get back on their tax refund, and scammers play to both of these emotions. So, as hundreds of taxpayers are waiting for a potential tax return, it\u2019s important that they\u00a0navigate tax season wisely<\/a>. Check out the following tips to avoid being spoofed by cybercriminals and identity thieves:<\/p>\n

File before cybercriminals do it for you.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The easiest defense you can take against tax season schemes is to get your hands on your W-2 and file as soon as possible. The more prompt you are to file, the less likely your data will be raked in by a cybercriminal.<\/p>\n

Keep an eye on your credit and your identity.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Keeping tabs on your credit report and knowing if your personal information has been compromised in some way can help prevent tax fraud. Together, they can let you know if someone has stolen your identity or if you have personal info on the dark web that could lead to identity theft<\/a>.<\/p>\n