As the tax filing deadline approaches, San Antonio’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning taxpayers about an increasingly sophisticated threat: artificial intelligence-based fraud.
From fake Internal Revenue Service (IRS) cell phone calls to highly convincing emails and text messages, scammers are using AI technology to trick people into handing over sensitive personal and financial information.
According to Jason Meza, BBB senior director of communications, fraud has increased in recent years as AI tools have become more accessible.
“The IRS has received a record number of calls,” Meza said. “We are increasingly seeing new AI calls impersonating the IRS and impersonating collectors, tax collectors, and debt collectors in an attempt to get you to pay money or impose fines or jail time.”
Meza said the call was a major red flag because the IRS typically does not contact taxpayers via phone, text or email.
“The IRS traditionally doesn’t use these services. In fact, they use snail mail. That mail, that correspondence, comes through the mail,” Meza said. “If you receive an unsolicited contact when you did not contact us to request information, please treat everything with caution.”
Meza said some victims are receiving messages claiming they are eligible for new tax credits or larger refunds.
“I think consumers are really afraid of missing out. FOMO is real,” Meza said. “They don’t think they’re going to get a lot of deductions or tax credits on their behalf. They think they might get more money back. So there’s a temptation there to take the bait.”
Meza warns that clicking on fraudulent links may provide personal information such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth, which could lead to identity theft.
If you believe you have been the target of a scam, Meza recommends immediately reporting it to the BBB, IRS, Federal Trade Commission, or local law enforcement.
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