"Tax season is stressful for many, making it an ideal time for scammers to target unsuspecting and distracted taxpayers. Awareness is our first, and best, line of defense. Criminals often pose as the IRS, payroll companies, tax preparation services, or even trusted financial institutions in an effort to steal money and sensitive information."
"These schemes range from phishing emails, fake calls or texts, and social media messages to fraudulent tax filings using stolen identities, and they're only becoming more sophisticated with the introduction of AI."
Tax season presents heightened cybersecurity risks as financial crimes reached $10.59 billion in fiscal year 2025, with $4.5 billion attributed to tax fraud—a 111.8% increase from 2024. Cybercriminals exploit the stress and heightened activity of tax season by impersonating the IRS, payroll companies, tax preparation services, and financial institutions to steal money and sensitive information. Sophisticated attack methods include phishing emails, fraudulent calls and texts, social media messages, and fraudulent tax filings using stolen identities. The integration of AI into cybercriminal operations amplifies these risks by increasing the sophistication and speed of attacks. Security leaders must prioritize awareness and preparedness to defend against these evolving threats during tax season.
#tax-fraud #cybersecurity-risks #ai-enhanced-attacks #phishing-and-social-engineering #tax-season-security
Read at Securitymagazine
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