Common Tax Season Scams to Look Out For

Young woman with laptop reviewing banking or financial papers/statements at home

It's a new year, and tax season is around the corner. This season is a busy time for criminals and scammers as it brings a significant increase in phishing attempts targeting W-2s and sensitive financial information.


Please exercise caution this season and remember our golden rule: Think Before You Click.


Here are some of the most common threats of the season:

  • W-2 Requests

    • You may receive an urgent email that appears to come from executives or HR requesting employee W-2 forms. These are scammers who are looking for information on these forms.
  • Phishing Emails and Texts
    • You may receive phishing emails or texts asking you to log in to view tax documents, often mimicking systems like ADP or Paychex. Do not click on any suspicious links or submit any personal or financial information.
    • You may also receive phishing emails or texts from IRS impersonators that claim you are owed a refund or threaten penalties or legal action. Do not click on any links or respond with any personal information, including bank account numbers. 
  • Social Media Scams
    • Influencers on social media may give bad tax advice that can mislead taxpayers about their credit or refund eligibility. Be wary of influencers trying to convince you to lie on tax forms or suggesting that the IRS is keeping a tax credit a secret from you. 
  • Protection for Seniors
    • Scammers often target people over the age of 65 or nearing retirement for personal or financial information or money. Oftentimes, once a senior gives them money, they ask for more. If a scammer tricks a senior into withdrawing from their retirement account, it could affect their taxes.
Ways you can stay safe:

  • Verify the sender

    • Check the actual email address, not just the display name. Don’t trust any email address that you don’t recognize.
  • Inspect links before clicking
    • Hover over links to view the actual URL. Do not click if anything looks suspicious.
  • Go to the source
    • Access links by typing the website directly into your browser – never through an email link.
  • Identity Protection Pin
    • An identity protection PIN (IP PIN) is a six-digit number that prevents someone else from filing a tax return using a taxpayer's Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number. If you don’t already have an IP PIN, you can get an IP PIN here as protection from tax-related identity theft.