Tax Scams 2026
It's tax time once again, and that means tax scams!
Beware tax scams - from fake websites to social media posts that the IRS calls "wildly inaccurate."*
Things to Know
- The IRS will not initiate contact via phone, email, or text message.
- The IRS will never request personal information or ask for payments via a text message, phone call, or email.
- The IRS will never ask you to pay with gift cards, gold, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
- All tax professionals should have a valid 2026 PTIN from the IRS.
- Tax returns go to the person filing, not the person or company preparing.
Signs you're talking to a scammer
- You are instructed to not talk about the situation with anyone else
- You are being threatened with penalties, fines, or worse if you don't act immediately
- The timeline they have given is unreasonably short and requires immediate action
- You are being instructed to pay with gift cards, gold, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency
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What You Can Do
- Ignore tax advice you see on social media
- Be cautious with any unsolicited incoming communications about taxes
- Don't click links in emails or text messages, instead navigate directly to site
- Only use tax professionals with a valid PTIN
- Never send tax or payment documents that contain sensitive information over email
- Always use secure portals on legitimate tax professional website for uploading documents
IRS Resources
- IRS list of Current Tax Scams
- The Dirty Dozen tax scams for 2026
- IRS Warns About False Tax Advice on Social Media