Tax season has brought a new round of scams targeting taxpayers, with federal agencies and consumer advocates saying that advances in AI are making these scams more convincing and harder to detect. AP News reports that the IRS and the Federal Trade Commission are urging everyone to stay alert, since impersonation scams are still a big threat.  

Each year, the IRS releases its “Dirty Dozen” list of common scams. One of the biggest risks is scammers pretending to be the IRS through phone calls, emails, or text messages. The IRS says it “does not leave urgent, threatening prerecorded messages, call to demand immediate payment, or threaten arrest” and that you should be cautious with any messages that try to make you panic or feel pressured. 

Recently, scammers have begun using AI tools such as voice mimicry and fake caller IDs to make their scams seem real. Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, described the increase in attacks by saying, “‘Deluge’ is the best word I can think of, because it’s relentless.” 

Identity theft remains a major issue during tax season. Many people only discover it when they try to file and find out someone else has already used their information. Consumer advocates recommend checking information directly on official websites and avoiding random links. Their advice is to “Type, don’t tap.”