How to Protect Yourself From 2025’s Most Dangerous Tax Scams | Global News Avenue

The IRS Criminal Investigation Division uncovered more than $9.1 billion in tax fraud and financial crimes in 2024, according to the IRS’s Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report. That number does not include cases where taxpayers were defrauded but went unreported.

prepare your tax return Paying your taxes is challenging enough, but these days, you also need to be wary of scammers.

“There are many important steps you can take to ensure your information is safe and protected and that you receive legitimate emails, letters or phone calls from authorized authorities,” said broken hairis a professional accountant located in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where he serves as a member of the town’s Finance Committee. He is also certified as a QuickBooks Platinum Professional Consultant by Intuit.

dirty twelve

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) calls it the “Top 12 Scams,” the most common types of scams in a given year that taxpayers may encounter in 2025. These scams tend to peak in 2025. tax season. agency provide a list These are listed in detail on their website, with additional links you can use to learn more. Some are more common than others.

Common attacks

One of the most common tactics used by scammers is to pretend to be from the IRS. You may receive a shocking message claiming that there is a problem with your tax return and that you now owe much more than you thought. They may even threaten arrest if you don’t pay immediately.

The flip side is to be notified that your return has been processed and you should receive a larger amount tax refund. They will ask you to provide your bank details to direct deposit your refund. However, once they have your information, they are likely to steal your refund, allowing the IRS to investigate fraudulent claims and freeze your legitimate refund while they investigate.

Some scammers will pretend to be a company or service to help you solve a fictitious or real problem tax liability And reduce the amount of money you owe. Of course, they’ll want you to pay for their help.

“A golden rule: When in doubt, go slow,” Cappelli said. “Scammers will often pressure, threaten or demand quick access to your information. Always take the time to research, verify and ensure you are not being targeted. Please feel free to reach out to trusted contacts and professionals who can help you. ”

Ghost Prepper

Fake tax professionals are another widespread scam, according to the IRS. The agency calls them “ghost preppers.” They will contact you out of the blue, perhaps telling you they can make sure you receive a specific message tax credit You are not legally eligible.

The IRS has some clues that you may be dealing with one of these scammers. They may offer to adjust your financial information so that you qualify, and assure you that this practice is completely legal and is done all the time.

Red flags include:

• The tax preparer refused to sign your tax return.
• They insist on payment in cash (especially if you don’t get a large refund).
• They promise unrealistic refunds or tax breaks.

However, the IRS will not entertain any claims they file on your behalf. In the worst-case scenario, you might get into trouble trying to cheat the system.

The Taxpayer Advocacy Service (TAS) said the non-signature issue was a major alarm.

protect yourself

Knowing what to look for and recognizing red flags are important steps in protecting yourself from tax scams.

• Be careful when surfing the Internet: The Internet is not your friend. Your tax professional knows this and will take steps to protect you by using password protection and encryption tools for receiving communications.
• Use anti-phishing software: Install it on your device to provide extra protection against scammers trying to steal your information via fraudulent websites. Receiving an email or text message offering a link to a fake website is a common ploy, but scammers will also use snail mail, fax, social media, or even call you. The wording of the copy or sender address may be strange or silly, and you may notice some spelling mistakes and/or grammatical errors.
• Check website link: Do not click on anything, especially if the link address provided is not an IRS-specific address. agency provide some guidance About how to be sure it’s them. Look for “irs.gov” in the URL.
• Assign yourself an identity protection PIN: This PIN will prevent others from using your identity to file tax returns social security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), which helps the IRS confirm your identity.
• Beware of ghost preppers: Tax professionals will never rely on pay stubs instead of official documents (e.g. Form W-2.

What to do if you’ve been scammed

If you have fallen victim to a scammer or someone is trying to defraud you, there are additional steps you can take. The United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is specially established to pages on its website Contact information is provided to direct you to the correct department, depending on Fraudulent activities You want to report it.

The other bad news is that you may need to submit a Amended tax return Rectify what the fraudster has done to you.

bottom line

you are not alone. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel promoted the formation of the Coalition Against Scams and Scheme Threats (CASST), a task force designed to “combine the growth of scams and schemes that threaten taxpayers and the tax system.” It is an alliance of the IRS, tax associations, state tax agencies and the U.S. tax industry.

The CASST Alliance includes many well-known organizations, including the International Association of Certified Professional Accountants, the American Taxpayer Rights Alliance, the National Association of Tax Professionals, Intuit TurboTax, H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt Tax Service.

For more details on common scams, visit IRS “Dirty Dozen” Website Get a complete list of threats to taxpayers.