Marketplace All-in-One How to protect yourself from tax season scams
Mar 23, 2026
Nancy Marshall-Genzer, Marketplace reporter who covered the Musk-Twitter verdict, provides news context. Abhishek Karnik, McAfee threat intelligence lead, explains rising tax-season scams and AI-enabled impersonation. They discuss how to spot IRS impostors, warning signs to watch for, and where to report suspicious contacts.
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AI Is Making Tax Scams Far More Convincing
- Tax season spikes tax-related scams with about one in four Americans affected according to a McAfee survey.
- Abhishek Karnik warns AI makes impersonation and phishing far more convincing, raising average expected loss to about $1,020 per victim.
Scammers Weaponize Refunds And Deadlines
- Scammers exploit the promise of tax refunds and filing deadlines to create urgency that drives clicks and payments.
- Karnik notes typical lures include messages about filing now or imminent refunds to entice victims into phishing links.
Treat Urgent Tax Messages As Red Flags
- Do treat urgent unsolicited tax messages as red flags because the IRS typically communicates by mail rather than phone, text, or email.
- Avoid payments by wire transfer, gift cards, cashier's checks, or cryptocurrency — those are common scam demands highlighted by Karnik.