FLORIDA – Gen Z is one of the biggest targets for tax scams this year, according to a new survey by McAfee, a leading cybersecurity company.
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Despite growing up surrounded by technology, young adults ages 18-24 are falling victim to AI-driven tax scams at higher rates. McAfee’s survey revealed that this age group is the most frequent target of tax-related scams.
“I think Gen Z is more device-oriented, so phishing links are being targeted at them more than other groups,” Abhishek Karnik, McAfee Head of Threat Intelligence Research said.
McAfee reported that scammers are using AI to craft fake IRS emails, texts, and social media messages to steal personal information. They also found that 23% of scams are specifically trying to steal bank account numbers—a higher rate than among older demographics.
“The social engineering tactics of scammers are getting more sophisticated. You can now create realistic websites that look like the IRS, or software that appears to be a free version of something but ends up being malware,” Karnik said.
IRS never contacts taxpayers by email, text, or social media to ask for personal or financial information.
If you believe you’ve been targeted by a phishing scam, report it immediately to phishing@irs.gov.