Humans are so creative, so persistent.
Take thieves, frauds and scammers. As long as there are dollars in someone’s bank account, there are other people devising ways to siphon those dollars and claim them as their own.
The Internal Revenue Service is on to them. In its list of “dirty dozen” tax scams for 2025, the agency tells taxpayers how to protect themselves from fraud. It also warns people about ways some taxpayers try to trick the IRS.
The agency started publishing the dirty dozen list in 2002 to inform and protect taxpaying workers.
Here are several schemes and scams to watch out for this year, as well as mistakes and tricks to steer clear of as a taxpayer.
Fake charities. A seeming do-gooder asks for donations to help victims of a natural disaster. You’d gladly open your pocketbook. But how do you know it’s legitimate?
“Taxpayers who give money or goods to a charity might be able to claim a deduction on their federal tax return if they itemize deductions, but charitable donations only count if they go to a qualified tax-exempt organization recognized by the IRS,” the IRS writes.
One way to check is with the IRS’s tax-exempt organization search tool: irs.gov/charities-non-profits/search-for-tax-exempt-organizations
Also, no charity will ask for your Social Security Number.
Social media influencers. If you spend any time on Instagram or TikTok during tax season, you might be following — or be shown — reels from people who are excited to share little-known secret ways to bulk up tax refunds. To an untrained ear, they might sound great. Claim this, deduct that. Congratulations, now you’re a millionaire!
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In reality, these people are peddling bad advice. And if you follow it, then you — not the social media charlatan — are on the hook.
“Social media platforms routinely circulate inaccurate or misleading tax information, including on TikTok where people share wildly inaccurate tax advice. Some involve urging people to misuse common tax documents like Form W-2,” the agency writes.
Here’s one sleazy move that has been promoted online:
“This scheme, circulating on social media, encourages people to use tax software to manually fill out Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, and include false income information. In this W-2 scheme, scam artists suggest people make up large income and withholding figures, as well as the employer it’s coming from. Scam artists then instruct people to file the bogus tax return electronically in hopes of getting a substantial refund – sometimes as much as five figures – due to the large amount of withholding,” the agency writes.
Email phishing and smishing. These are classics.
The gist: If you get an out of the blue email or a text message about taxes, delete it.
“Never click on any unsolicited communication claiming to be from the IRS as it may surreptitiously load malware. This may also be a way for malicious hackers to load ransomware that keeps the legitimate user from accessing their system and files,” the agency writes. These messages can also “lure unsuspecting victims into providing valuable personal and financial information that can lead to identity theft.”
Thieves send messages that try to create a sense of urgency and sound official. Phrases like “Your account has now been put on hold” or “Unusual Activity Report” with bogus links are all red flags.
“The promise of unexpected tax refunds is another potential tactic used by scam artists,” the agency adds.
Sketchy credits. Back in 2020 and 2021, during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the IRS had specialized sick and family leave credits for certain self-employed workers. Those are no longer available, so don’t claim them for this year’s taxes. The form in question is 7202.
A related error is about a so-called Self-Employment Tax Credit — which, the IRS says, does not exist.
“There is inaccurate information being circulated that suggests many people qualify for the tax credit and payments of up to $32,000 when they actually do not,” the agency writes. This mistake may be inspired by the Credits for Sick Leave and Family Leave, mentioned above, even though not many people had even qualified for those. “The IRS is closely reviewing claims coming in under this provision, so taxpayers filing claims do so at their own risk.”
Another error is the Fuel Tax Credit. It has a narrow target: off-highway businesses and farms. But a new trend is leading people to wrongly claim this credit.
“Unscrupulous tax return preparers and promoters, including people on social media, continue enticing taxpayers into inflating their refunds by erroneously claiming the credit,” the agency says.
Fake employees. How to get in trouble with the IRS: invent a fake nanny or butler. Then, file a Schedule H (Form 1040), Household Employment Taxes, so you can claim a refund on sick and family medical leave wages you never paid. Then get caught by the IRS.
“People who try this scam face a wide range of penalties, including a frivolous return penalty of $5,000. They also run the risk of criminal prosecution for filing a false tax return,” the agency says.
Courtesy announcement: Improper household employment taxes are on the IRS’s radar.
Fake clients. This one targets tax professionals.
“Cybercriminals impersonate new, potential clients to trick tax professionals and other businesses into responding to their emails,” the agency writes. “Once the tax pro responds, the scammer sends a malicious attachment or URL that can compromise the preparer’s computer systems and allow the attacker to access sensitive client information.”
These attacks can steal client data and the business owner’s identity. Next, the thief can file fraudulent returns using stolen information, the agency said.
For the complete list of 12 scams to look out for in the 2025 tax season, and a baker’s dozen item, head over to the IRS website.
