Scammers Taking Advantage of Tax Season as Filing Deadline Draws Near
Summary:
As the April tax deadline draws near, scammers are taking advantage of the heightened stress and urgency of individuals rushing to file their returns. According to a press release by F-Secure, fraudsters are impersonating the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to deceive victims through text messages and emails. These attackers go to great lengths to mimic official IRS correspondences and notices, even including the victim’s real name and address to make the scam appear more legitimate. By creating a sense of urgency and threatening legal consequences, the scammers pressure taxpayers into taking hasty actions, such as providing personal information or transferring funds.
Security Officer Comments:
Although these types of scams are common and recur annually, the use of AI has significantly enhanced the sophistication of these attacks, making the fraudulent messages increasingly convincing—even to the most tech-savvy taxpayers. In addition to text messages and emails, cybercriminals are now leveraging deepfake technology to impersonate the voices of IRS personnel, further enhancing the authenticity of their schemes. Additionally, fraudsters employ caller ID spoofing to make it seem as though an “official” number is calling, impersonating an IRS agent. By leveraging fear-based tactics, such as threats of fines or imprisonment, these scammers aim to manipulate taxpayers into revealing their personal and financial information.
Suggested Corrections:
The IRS will never initiate contact with taxpayers via email, SMS, or phone call. Any communication claiming to be from the IRS through these channels should be treated with caution and considered malicious. The IRS typically sends official notices through the mail, and they will never ask for personal information such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or credit card numbers via these unsecured channels. If you receive any unsolicited messages or phone calls claiming to be from the IRS, it is important to avoid engaging with the sender. Instead, you should report these suspicious communications to phishing@irs.gov.
Link(s):
https://www.f-secure.com/en/partner...e-of-tax-season-as-filing-deadline-draws-near
As the April tax deadline draws near, scammers are taking advantage of the heightened stress and urgency of individuals rushing to file their returns. According to a press release by F-Secure, fraudsters are impersonating the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to deceive victims through text messages and emails. These attackers go to great lengths to mimic official IRS correspondences and notices, even including the victim’s real name and address to make the scam appear more legitimate. By creating a sense of urgency and threatening legal consequences, the scammers pressure taxpayers into taking hasty actions, such as providing personal information or transferring funds.
Security Officer Comments:
Although these types of scams are common and recur annually, the use of AI has significantly enhanced the sophistication of these attacks, making the fraudulent messages increasingly convincing—even to the most tech-savvy taxpayers. In addition to text messages and emails, cybercriminals are now leveraging deepfake technology to impersonate the voices of IRS personnel, further enhancing the authenticity of their schemes. Additionally, fraudsters employ caller ID spoofing to make it seem as though an “official” number is calling, impersonating an IRS agent. By leveraging fear-based tactics, such as threats of fines or imprisonment, these scammers aim to manipulate taxpayers into revealing their personal and financial information.
Suggested Corrections:
The IRS will never initiate contact with taxpayers via email, SMS, or phone call. Any communication claiming to be from the IRS through these channels should be treated with caution and considered malicious. The IRS typically sends official notices through the mail, and they will never ask for personal information such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or credit card numbers via these unsecured channels. If you receive any unsolicited messages or phone calls claiming to be from the IRS, it is important to avoid engaging with the sender. Instead, you should report these suspicious communications to phishing@irs.gov.
Link(s):
https://www.f-secure.com/en/partner...e-of-tax-season-as-filing-deadline-draws-near