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The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued an alert as part of its annual Dirty Dozen tax scam campaign, cautioning taxpayers to beware of scammers offering assistance setting up IRS Online Accounts. These scammers aim to obtain personal tax and financial data that could be exploited for identity theft and filing fraudulent tax returns.

Key Points:

• Scammers pose as helpful third parties offering to assist taxpayers in setting up IRS Online Accounts on IRS.gov.
• Their goal is to trick taxpayers into providing sensitive personal details, including Social Security numbers and addresses, , and photo identification.
•  Scammers can use this information to perpetrate identity theft, file false tax returns, obtain loans, or open credit accounts in the victim’s name.

What Taxpayers Should Know:

• Taxpayers should only create their IRS Online Account directly through IRS.gov and should avoid using third-party services for this purpose. The IRS emphasizes that setting up an Online Account is straightforward and can be done independently without the need for outside assistance.

• Taxpayers are advised to be cautious of unsolicited communications (phone calls, emails, or social media messages) offering help with IRS Online Account setup.

• Taxpayers should avoid sharing personal information with unknown or unverified individuals or organizations to protect against scams and identity theft.

Taxpayers are reminded to remain vigilant and cautious when handling sensitive personal information, especially in response to unsolicited requests. The IRS encourages individuals to use official channels and resources provided directly by the IRS for tax-related matters to ensure security and avoid falling victim to scams.