Why 2026 Could Be the Biggest Year for Tax Theft Yet

AI-driven tax scams are becoming more sophisticated and harder to detect — just in time for the 2026 tax season. Scammers are now using generative AI to forge IRS-emails and tax documents with uncanny accuracy, even mimicking taxpayer’s voices to bypass security checks. This rapidly advancing technology opens up a whole new bag of tricks for cybercriminals, calling for more advanced protection than ever before. 

How Data Breaches Contribute to AI Tax Scams 

The recent surge in data breaches has flooded the internet with stolen consumer data, including Social Security numbers, financial information, and other sensitive personal details. Not even major companies are safe, as evidenced by recent breaches at DoorDash, Hyundai AutoEver America, and Conduent Business Solutions, with the latter impacting 10.5 million people in the biggest health care breach of the year. 

Criminals are taking advantage of this near-unending stream of stolen information to create personalized and convincing scams. With this data, they can directly target individuals and families, making identity theft and tax fraud attempts more likely than ever. 

The Role of AI in Tax Scams 

Due to generative AI technology, scams are becoming increasingly personalized and harder to detect. AI makes it faster and easier than ever to send convincing phishing emails, which can often be indistinguishable from legitimate IRS emails. When a cybercriminal can use AI in a scheme as advanced as replicating a taxpayer’s voice to bypass security checks, it means that simple precautions are no longer enough. 

Double-checking emails or securing personal devices are important defenses, but today’s technology requires more comprehensive solutions. Proactively protecting your identity, monitoring personal information, and removing your personal information from data broker websites is essential to avoid falling victim to tax fraud and other cybercrimes this year. 

How IDSeal Protects You and Your Family 

Tax fraud is getting smarter, making this high-risk tax season the perfect time to have IDSeal® in your corner. In addition to trusted protection, IDSeal is now guarding your information even more closely with a powerful new feature: Personal Data Removal. This tool scans people-finder and data broker sites for instances of your personal information, removing it continuously as these sites update to make sure it never gets into the hands of cybercriminals and tax fraudsters. 

Don’t wait until it’s too late — protect yourself today to safeguard your identity and protect your family from AI tax scams in 2026.