Overview
- The Joint Economic Committee issued Thursday’s bipartisan warning ahead of the April 15 filing deadline, highlighting IRS impersonation schemes and fake tax services.
- Nomorobo reported a 400% jump in calls posing as the IRS between January and February 2026, and the IRS logged more than 600 social‑media impersonators in 2025.
- McAfee’s March 2026 research found nearly one in four Americans victimized by tax-season scams, and it tracked 43 new fake tax sites per day from September 2025 to February 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission data show older adults lose more money to fraud than younger groups, underscoring higher financial risk for seniors during filing season.
- The committee outlines simple checks — the IRS starts contact by mail, never by social media or gift cards, and taxpayers should verify preparers’ PTINs and avoid “ghost” services that can redirect refunds.