As the April 15 tax deadline approaches, finance teams across the US face a surge in tax-related scams. For mid-to-large C-Corporations, this period brings heightened risk, from IRS impersonation to AI-powered deception.
The IRS consistently warns that fraudsters exploit this season’s urgency and complexity. And in 2025, these scams are more sophisticated than ever.
Below, we outline key threats, real-world incidents, and proactive measures finance leaders can take to safeguard their organizations.
What it looks like: You receive an urgent phone call, email, or mailed notice claiming to be from the IRS, demanding immediate tax payment, often under threat of legal action or asset seizure.
The reality: The IRS never initiates contact via email, text, or phone to request payment. These impersonation scams aim to pressure finance or payroll staff into rushing payments.
Real-world example: The IRS flags impersonation scams as part of its annual “Dirty Dozen” list, citing increased reports of fraudsters posing as IRS agents during tax season to collect fake debts or personal information from businesses and individuals.
What to do:
What it looks like: A scammer impersonates a senior executive and requests W-2 data from HR or payroll teams. The goal? File fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities.
Why it works: The request appears to come from someone in authority. Without strong internal controls, it can bypass standard scrutiny.
Real-world example: Cybercriminals are now using generative AI to power W-2 fraud schemes. These attacks often impersonate executives or trusted partners to trick HR or payroll into handing over sensitive employee data. The endgame is identity theft, followed by the filing of fake tax returns to claim fraudulent refunds.
Prevention tips:
What it looks like: An email, seemingly from your CFO or tax advisor, requests a wire transfer to cover a tax obligation. It may reference real vendors, include spoofed email domains, and appear convincingly legitimate.
Why it works: These scams thrive on urgency, authority, and familiarity.
Real-world example: The FBI’s 2023 IC3 report found that BEC scams led to over $2.9 billion in adjusted losses, making them one of the costliest types of fraud affecting U.S. businesses. While these scams happen year-round, cybercriminals often exploit tax season as a prime time to mimic financial authorities.
What to watch for:
How to stay ahead:
What it looks like: A finance team receives a voicemail or video call from what sounds and looks like their CFO, authorizing a wire transfer. Or an email crafted with eerily perfect grammar and context encourages urgent tax-related payments.
Why it’s dangerous: Fraudsters are now using generative AI to create deepfake audio, realistic fake IRS documents, and hyper-personalized phishing messages tailored to your team, your language, and your processes.
Real-world example: In a headline-making case, a finance worker at a global manufacturing firm was tricked into transferring $25 million after receiving a deepfake video call impersonating his company’s CFO and colleagues.
What to do:
To reduce the risk of falling victim to tax-season scams, ensure your team is equipped with the following safeguards:
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