Don’t Fall for AI Scams This Spring

With spring soon to spring, Tax Day is on many minds. (Sorry.) And with that major financial calendar event comes something even more nefarious: Financial fraudsters, who are deploying the latest technology to target taxpayers. Separately, scams on dating apps and social media are also on the rise. But don’t panic—let us walk through some best practices to avoid these. Awareness and preparation are key in keeping your hard-earned dollars safe from fraudsters.

In January, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) noted a “big wave” of reports detailing tax-related phone scams.^[i] According to the alert, fraudsters pose as IRS agents, someone from another agency or a member of the non-existent “Tax Resolution Oversight Department.” They then claim you owe back taxes or offer to connect you with a “tax resolution officer,” threatening hefty fines or even arrest if you don’t pay.

This is really AI—snippets and recordings of professional-sounding people synthesized into a vocal demand for payment. Annoyingly, technology’s rapid development means recordings now sound much more human than they used to, and the scripts have gotten increasingly lifelike. These scammers may even scrape the Internet to pick up your address or place of business. Or in rare cases, obtain the last four digits of your Social Security number or other sensitive personal information through data breaches, phishing scams or via the dark web. This can add to their ostensive credibility, as it might seem only IRS or government officials could have that information.

Often, their endgame is a request for payment in some non-refundable manner: Gift cards, crypto or another payment mechanism—which, of course, is something the government would never do. But people continue falling for it because of the sense of urgency these calls create. They raise emotion, which causes people to shut off reason.

If you receive this call, hang up. Don’t panic. And don’t worry about being rude. A hard and fast rule to follow: The IRS will never contact you via phone, email, text message or social media. If there is an actual issue with your taxes, they send a physical letter. Snail mail. Anything outside this official channel will be fake. So if you have a text, voicemail or other message in your inboxes, simply delete it. Don’t call back, tempting as it may be.

Still feel a need for closure? You can always contact the IRS directly using the phone number listed on their official website. Not the one they called you with. Not one they cite on an email or voicemail. Only the official number from the IRS. Now, this may require spending some time on hold, so make sure you have a good book ready. But once connected, an official IRS agent can reaffirm your suspicions and help you report the fraud attempt to the FTC.

Beyond taxes, the heartstrings are another tool fraudsters commonly leverage. Romance scams are rising. New FTC data show more than 11,200 people reported romance scam losses in Q3 2025, with a median reported loss of $2,218 per victim.^[ii] Ouch. And that is very likely underreported due to the victims’ embarrassment. Here, perpetrators use fake dating or social media profiles, sometimes impersonating celebrities or influencers using AI deepfakes or clips obtained through Cameo. They often play on loneliness, love-bombing their way to an emotional connection through direct messages or text.

Then, fraudsters invent a crisis they “need” your financial help with or ask you for money so they can travel to see you. Tells to watch for here: Scammers will almost always request funds via sketchy payment methods, like in IRS scams (i.e., gift cards, crypto, offshore bank accounts). Others will ask for your bank account information directly. If you receive one of these requests, immediately cut contact and block their profile. We understand this is easier said than done, as perpetrators reportedly ask for payment once they feel the victim has fallen for them—emotional manipulation.

If you find yourself in this situation, consider taking the following steps: One, check in with loved ones or a financial professional. From the outside looking in, these folks may have a better chance of identifying fishy behavior. This removes the romantic aspect. Two, do some Internet research and look for inconsistencies with what they have messaged you. Do they have an e-footprint? Does it align with their story? You can even reverse image search their profile pictures to verify if they were simply plucked from the Internet.

The bottom line: Most of these scams center around unsolicited, unexpected contact from a vague third party. Mitigate this by privatizing your social media profiles and/or installing an unknown number blocker on your phone—if they can’t reach you, they can’t scam you. Yet if they are still able to get through to you, remember these criminals always try to create a sense of urgency or, in the romance scam case, intimacy and then urgency. This aims to turn off your critical thinking by pressuring you to make snap or emotion-based decisions. As a rule of thumb, don’t act fast, act slow. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Don’t ever think you are immune, either. Folks young and old fall prey to these schemes across virtually all demographic groups. Always be on your toes.

As time passes, financial scammers’ methods continually improve—an unfortunate aspect of modernity’s advance. But fraudsters weren’t born from AI—they are simply adopting a new vehicle. This is just the latest reminder that you need to be skeptical and aware of such efforts.