Tax Season and the Rise of Smarter Scams
Tax Season and the Rise of Smarter Scams: What Investors Should Know
Aside from the mess of paperwork and deadlines, tax season unfortunately brings something else: a surge in scams designed to exploit the stress and urgency of filing season.
Every year, fraudsters ramp up their efforts to impersonate the IRS, steal personal information, and trick people into sending money or revealing sensitive data. In recent years, these scams have grown significantly more sophisticated. And especially with the rise of artificial intelligence, fraudsters are implementing tools which can mimic voices and create highly convincing communications.
The good news is that most tax scams follow predictable patterns. With the right awareness, and guidance from trusted financial professionals, you can significantly reduce your risk.
At Intrua Financial, we closely monitor emerging fraud tactics so we can help investors stay informed and protected. Below are some of the most common scams circulating this tax season and the simple steps you can take to avoid them.
IRS Impersonation Is Still the Most Common Scam
One of the oldest scams remains one of the most effective: criminals pretending to be the IRS.1
These scams appear in several forms, including emails, text messages, social media messages, and phone calls. Often, they claim there is a problem with your tax return, an issue with a refund, or an urgent balance due that must be resolved immediately.
The goal is simple: to create panic so you act before verifying the message.
In many cases, the message will include a link or QR code that directs you to a fake IRS website designed to collect login credentials, Social Security numbers, or banking information.2
Remember this key fact: The IRS does not initiate contact through unexpected texts, emails, or social media messages. If the IRS needs to reach you, they generally begin with official correspondence sent through the mail.3
If you receive a message demanding immediate action through a link or payment request, it should immediately raise suspicion.
The New Frontier: AI Voice Mimicry
One of the fastest-growing scams involves AI-generated voice impersonation.
Using short audio clips gathered from social media, voicemail greetings, or online videos, scammers can now clone someone’s voice with surprising accuracy. That voice could sound like a government official, a tax professional, or even a family member.4
In these scams, a caller may claim to be from an IRS enforcement division or a tax resolution office. The voice often sounds calm, professional, and authoritative. Caller ID may even appear to show a legitimate government phone number.
The scam typically escalates quickly.
The caller might claim that there is a tax issue requiring immediate payment, or that legal consequences (like fines or property liens) will occur if action isn’t taken right away.
Because the voice sounds believable, many people assume the call must be legitimate. But today, “it sounds like them” is no longer reliable proof.
This is why verification protocols are becoming increasingly important.
Pressure Tactics and Unusual Payment Requests
Regardless of the technology involved, tax scams often rely on the same psychological tactics: urgency and fear.
Common warning signs include threats of arrest, lawsuits, deportation, or seizure of assets if payment is not made immediately. Scammers often try to isolate victims by instructing them not to speak with anyone else and to stay on the phone during the transaction.
Another major red flag is the method of payment requested.
The IRS does not demand payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, peer-to-peer payment apps, or wire transfers to individuals.5 If someone claiming to be from the IRS requests payment in any of these forms, it is almost certainly a scam.
The Rise of “Viral Tax Hacks”
Another growing concern comes from social media. Platforms like TikTok and YouTube have become fertile grounds for misleading tax advice. Some posts encourage viewers to claim obscure credits or fabricate deductions in order to generate large refunds.
While these “tax hacks” may promise easy money, they often involve filing inaccurate information on tax forms.
When something sounds too good to be true – especially when it involves taxes – it usually is. Contact our Horizent team with any questions before you act on a hot tip.
The problem is that if the return is fraudulent, the person who files it is responsible, not the influencer who suggested the idea.
The IRS has begun actively targeting many of these schemes, and taxpayers who follow them may face audits, penalties, or repayment demands.
When something sounds too good to be true – especially when it involves taxes – it usually is. Contact our Horizent team with any questions before you act on a hot tip.
Fake Tax Preparers and Identity Theft
Not all scams arrive through a phone call or message.
Another common issue involves dishonest tax preparers, sometimes referred to as “ghost preparers.” These individuals may promise unusually large refunds but refuse to sign the return or include their IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN), which legitimate preparers are required to provide.
Some may even direct refunds to their own accounts before forwarding a portion to the taxpayer.
Identity theft is another risk during tax season. Criminals sometimes file fraudulent tax returns using stolen personal information in order to claim refunds before the real taxpayer files.
How Advisors Help Protect Investors
Financial advisors play an important role in helping investors navigate these risks.
At Intrua Financial, part of our responsibility is helping you stay informed about emerging threats and providing practical steps to verify suspicious communications.
We often encourage a simple rule: verify before you click or respond.
If you receive an unexpected message about taxes, refunds, or urgent payments, pause and verify the information through a trusted source. That might mean logging directly into your IRS account, contacting your CPA, or calling our office using a known number.
For many investors, having a trusted professional to call before acting can prevent costly mistakes.
We also encourage strong security practices such as enabling multi-factor authentication on financial accounts, using unique passwords, and monitoring financial records regularly.
For those at higher risk of identity theft, the IRS offers additional safeguards such as the Identity Protection PIN program, which prevents fraudulent returns from being filed in your name.
A Simple Rule for Tax Season
The best protection against tax scams often comes down to a simple habit: slow down.
Scammers rely on urgency and pressure to override caution. Taking a moment to verify a message, confirm a phone call, or consult a trusted professional can stop most scams before they begin.
Tax season is busy enough without adding fraud to the mix. Staying informed and maintaining healthy skepticism can help protect both your finances and your peace of mind.
And if something ever feels suspicious, remember you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our Horizent team is always here to help you verify, protect, and move forward with confidence.
1 https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen-tax-scams-for-2026-irs-reminds-taxpayers-to-watch-out-for-dangerous-threats
2 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/tax-season-scams-surge-filing-confusion-grows
3 https://www.foxnews.com/tech/tax-scams-through-years-what-know-year
4 https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/03/scammers-use-ai-enhance-their-family-emergency-schemes
5 https://www.enterprisesecuritytech.com/post/ai-tax-scams-surge-as-irs-goes-fully-digital-in-2026