Tax Scams, Identity Theft, and How to Protect Yourself - Taxes

The IRS Dirty Dozen list of tax scams grows every year - and AI is making fake calls, emails, and letters more convincing than ever. Scammers impersonate IRS agents, threaten arrest, demand gift cards, and file fraudulent returns using stolen Social Security numbers to steal refunds before the real taxpayer ever files. This is your complete survival guide: what the IRS will and will never do, how to spot every major scam type, how to protect your identity before a scammer strikes, and what to do if you are already a victim. Report suspicious contacts to phishing@irs.gov and reportphishing@irs.gov. Watch the full playlist to review the complete Taxes series. Chapters: 0:00 What the IRS Will Never Do 2:22 Phone Scams and AI Voice Impersonation 4:24 Phishing, Smishing, and Fake IRS Websites 6:34 Tax Refund Identity Theft: How It Happens 8:37 The IP PIN and What to Do If You Are a Victim 11:02 Quiz Time 13:07 Key Takeaways #Taxes #TaxPlanning #TaxStrategy --- Disclosure The avatars and voices in this video are AI-generated. All content -- research, scripts, lesson design, and the custom video engine -- is created by a CISSP, CISM, and PMP certified professional with a Master's in Project Management, a B.S. in Information Technology, and a Doctorate in Business Administration in progress. This channel exists to make learning accessible and straightforward. This channel is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), any state department of revenue, or any tax preparation company. All information is sourced from publicly available IRS and state tax authority resources and is provided for educational purposes only. Tax brackets, deduction amounts, credit eligibility, and filing rules change annually — always verify with IRS.gov or a qualified Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Enrolled Agent (EA), or tax attorney before making tax decisions. IRS: 1-800-829-1040 | IRS.gov | Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) locator: irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep