Security News > 2024 > March > Scammers exploit tax season anxiety with AI tools

25% of Americans has lost money to online tax scams, according to McAfee.

"As tax season ramps up, so too does cybercriminal activity. What's new this year is the scale and sophistication of scams we're now seeing thanks to artificial intelligence. From AI-generated robocalls with regional accents to very realistic and convincing fake emails, websites, and scam texts, cybercriminals are utilizing all the AI tools available to them, and so too should consumers to stay safe," said Steve Grobman, CTO at McAfee.

"With less than half of people feeling confident about the tax filing process, scammers are counting on uncertain consumers clicking on unsafe links during the rush for refunds. We urge people to balance convenience with caution, practice good cyber hygiene, and use the latest in AI-powered online protection to keep their privacy, identity, and personal information safe to help ensure a scam-free tax season," continued Grobman.

With 48% of Americans feeling very confident about tax filing and most uncertain about identifying tax-related scams, tax season breeds anxiety.

Just 42% of people say they protect their identity and personal information during tax filing season by never clicking on any links or opening attachments from unknown senders or responding to texts / calls from unknown sources.

From messages impersonating tax authorities to deceptive promises of tax refunds, and beyond, online tax scams are pervasive.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2024/03/26/online-tax-scams-concerns/