Scammers try to impersonate everything and everyone. They should email you for money pretending to be your boss and claim that your Microsoft account has been hacked or that you sent a phishing link for fake package delivery.
However, the most common type of spoofing scam occurs when bad actors posed as government agencies, especially the IRS.
The Ministry of Finance’s Director of Tax Management (TIGTA) is aware of this and has issued a new warning in 2025 about text messages impersonating the Internal Revenue Service. We’ll explain everything you need to know to avoid this new tax fraud and protect your personal information.
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People who are working on taxes (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
New IRS fraud alerts
To understand the new IRS scam, first look at what it is based on. The IRS has sent about 1 million tax filers who missed them, worth up to $1,400 worth of Covid-19 stimulus amounts. Initially, these payments were self-advertised, but now the IRS automatically issues them to ensure that eligible taxpayers get what they owed.
This provision, known as recovery rebate credit, allows people to request payments for stimulus amounts they missed since 2021. If you are eligible but do not receive the funds, you can request it by submitting your tax return by April 15, 2025.
However, Tigta warns that scammers are targeting taxpayers with fraudulent text messages, as reported by Taxact. These fake texts claim that recipients often receive financial impact payments from the IRS and seek sensitive personal information such as bank account details and Social Security numbers. Scammers use this information to steal identity or financial data.
The IRS has revealed that eligible taxpayers who did not request a recovery rebate credit on their 2021 tax returns will automatically receive payments. No action is required.
Woman working on taxes (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
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Phishing scam spots are more important than ever
Most phones and PCs today have enough protection to keep bad actors at bay, so in almost every case the only way that anyone can access their devices and data is if they provide it. Hackers often send phishing links that impersonate government agencies, people you know, or trustworthy brands, and make you click. Once done, malware will be installed on your device, quietly collecting useful data and sending it to hackers. That’s why the most important part of keeping yourself safe online is knowing how to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent messages emails and calls. For example, it is easy to know if communication is from the IRS or from fraud by focusing on the following key factors:
Type of Communication: The IRS will not contact you via text, such as payments for financial impacts or requests for financial information. They will send letters or notifications via mail or fax.suspicious links: Government websites always end with “.gov”, but scam text may contain links ending with “.com” or “.net”.
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Illustration of items used to prepare taxes (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
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10 Ways to Stay Safe from Scammers Impersonating Government Agency
1. Install powerful antivirus software: As scammers are increasingly spoofing government agencies like the IRS through phishing links and fake messages, it is important to install powerful antivirus software to protect yourself from these threats. This protection can also warn you that it will phish email and ransomware scams and keep your personal information and digital assets safe. Antivirus software can detect and block suspicious links, alert you about potentially harmful websites, and prevent malware from being installed on your device. Get the best 2025 Antivirus Protection Winners picks for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.
2. Always check the credibility of unsolicited communications. If you receive an unexpected email, text, or phone call that claims to be from a government agency, it is essential to verify its reliability. Scammers often create a sense of urgency to trick you into taking action immediately. Always use official contact details from the government website to confirm. Do not click on the link in the message to reach out directly to the agency to see if the agency is legitimate.
3.If you are unsure, please contact us directly. If you are unsure about the validity of your message or request, please contact your agency directly using your verified contact details. Do not reply to a message or click on the links there. You can call or visit the agency’s official website to ensure you are communicating with authorized representatives and avoid scammers pretending to be government officials.
4. Protect your account with a strong and unique password: One of the best ways to protect sensitive information from scammers is to use a strong and unique password for each account. Do not use easily guessable passwords such as “password123” or “qwerty.” Instead, create a complex password that contains combinations of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
Also, use the Password Manager to track your credentials and make sure you use a different password for each account. For more information about my best expert reviewed password managers of 2025, click here.
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5. Tax Account Monitoring: Check your IRS account regularly at www.irs.gov to check the status of your tax return, ensure that you have not had any fraudulent tax returns, and update your personal and contact information as necessary.
6. Report suspicious tax-related activities immediately: If fraud or fraud is suspected, it is important to report it immediately to the relevant authorities. Whether you received a suspicious message or believe your information is in lean, we report that it will help prevent further harm. The IRS and other agencies have dedicated channels to report fraud, so take action to protect yourself and others from these schemes as soon as possible.
7. Invest in Personal Data Deletion Services: Use Personal Data Deletion Services to delete personal information from data brokers and people finder sites that scammers often use to find phone numbers and email addresses. Although there is no service that promises to delete all data from the internet, deleting a deletion service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of continuously deleting information from hundreds of sites over a long period of time. Please see the top picks for data deletion services.
8. Use direct deposits for refunds: This is the safest way to receive a tax refund and reduce the risk of mail theft, counterfeiting, or fraudulent check cashing.
9. Beware of spoofed websites: Instead of clicking on the link from emails or ads, enter the address of the actual tax preparation site. Investigate your domain before entering any sensitive information.
10. Use of Identity Theft Protection Services: Identity Theft Protection Services provide personal and financial surveillance and will try to help you in the event that your identity is compromised. Personal information theft companies can monitor personal information such as social security numbers, phone numbers, and email addresses and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or used to open an account. They can also help freeze bank and credit card accounts to prevent further fraudulent use by criminals. Check out my tips and best choices on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
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Important points of cart
The tax season is here, and with that, there will be an increase in scams that target taxpayers by impersonating the IRS. The good news is that these scams are often easy to find. If you receive a text message from the IRS asking you to provide personal information, it is a red flag. That’s not from them. Pay particular attention to the links contained in the message. Legitimate URLs always end with “.gov”. However, scammers may try to trick you by changing the link slightly, so take a closer look at mistakes and strange characters. If you are in doubt, always check through the official channel.
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