Tax season scams 2026: Fake IRS messages stealing identities

Tax season no longer begins in April. For scammers, it starts the moment the calendar flips to January. 

While you're waiting for your W-2 or 1099 to arrive, cybercriminals are already sending out waves of fake IRS messages, "refund problem" alerts and account verification scams. These messages feel alarmingly real, and that's not an accident.

The truth is, today's tax scams don't rely on random guessing. They rely on your personal data, pulled from online data brokers, public records and previous breaches.