Be prepared for 2026 tax season scams

Scammers love tax season almost as much as they look forward to the holidays. In both cases, a seasonal flurry of financial transactions and activity provides cover and opportunities they can use to try to defraud investors and advisor firms.

We all try to be extra-vigilant during these periods. But unfortunately, today’s scams are more sophisticated and subtle than in previous years—with some offering no obvious red flags. The reason? AI.

Gone are the days of misspelled emails from dodgy addresses: these days, many fraudsters send professional, personalized communications that appear to come from trusted sources.

AI allows scammers to create realistic communications that feel timely and in line with legitimate communications you receive from trusted institutions, including polished emails, convincing phone calls, and messages tailored to you. These tactics are designed to create a sense of urgency, encouraging you to act quickly without verifying the request.

Real-world examples of tax scams

• “Refund on hold“ texts or emails
  Taxpayers may receive a notice that their refund can’t be paid until their personal information is verified. A link leads the victim to a realistic-looking fake website designed to capture personal or banking details.
• Tax professional impersonation phone calls
  Scammers use calm, professional-sounding human or AI voices to impersonate professionals from the IRS, a tax preparer, or a financial institution. These authoritative voices reference real names and firms to appear credible, and encourage recipients to take urgent action to “pay back taxes,” “claim a refund,” or “verify their information,” which of course leads to the theft of data or assets.
• Personalized “action required” emails
  These messages, which may advertise an unclaimed tax refund, a tax account update, or an important notice from the IRS, may include the victim’s name and top-of-mind tax season topics, making the message seem legitimate, and encouraging quick action without double-checking.
• REMEMBER: tax authorities do not initiate contact by email, phone calls or text to request sensitive information. The IRS initiates most contacts through regular mail, not phone calls, and will never demand immediate payment or threaten arrest over the phone.

How to protect yourself

• Pause before acting—urgency is a common scam tactic.
• Verify any communications—if the “IRS” has contacted you, visit IRS.gov. and check the message you’ve received using a legitimate phone number.
• Avoid clicking links or opening attachments in unexpected messages.
• When in doubt, don‘t respond—talk to your advisor or tax professional first.

Scams will continue to evolve as technology advances. Staying alert, slowing down, and verifying requests can help protect your personal and financial information.

Please download Schwab’s Scam Brochure to stay up-to-date on the ever-changing scam threats.

Remember: promptly report any fraud or suspicious activity to our firm or contact Schwab Alliance at 800-515-2157.