Of Death and Taxes: File Early To Beat The Scammers

This blog-style report warns consumers about increased tax-season fraud, describing how cybercriminals use stolen personal data to file fraudulent tax returns and obtain refunds, and enumerates common scams (ghost preparers, gift-card demands, refund-recalculation and stimulus-payment scams). It outlines IRS mitigation measures such as the Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) and ID.me video/selfie verification, emphasizes filing taxes early to reduce risk, and provides practical advice to verify IRS communications and avoid unsolicited calls or emails.