Tax scams are up this season compared to previous years. Here's what to know

PBS NewsHour
by Cora Lewis, Associated Press
March 16, 2026
2 views
3 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

Tax scams have increased this season with fraudsters using artificial intelligence to create more sophisticated schemes.

How This Affects You

You face higher risk of convincing tax-related fraud attempts that are harder to detect due to AI enhancement.

AI Summary

Tax scams have increased this season compared to previous years, with officials attributing the rise partly to artificial intelligence technology being used to enhance fraud attempts. The uptick in fraudulent schemes targets taxpayers during the busy filing season when people are focused on submitting returns and potentially expecting refunds. AI tools appear to be making scam operations more sophisticated and potentially harder to detect, allowing fraudsters to create more convincing fake communications and websites. Tax season traditionally sees heightened fraud activity as criminals exploit the annual rush of financial activity and government correspondence. The increased volume of AI-enhanced scams puts additional pressure on taxpayers to verify the legitimacy of any tax-related communications they receive.

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