Tax identity theft and IRS scams are surging. Learn how to protect your refund, use an IRS IP PIN, and avoid TurboTax and IRS impersonation scams.

American taxpayers are now proactive in protecting their tax returns by receiving an IRS Identity Protection PIN from the agency’s improved online system, which prevents fraudulent filings before they ...

Ed Landing, a retired state geologist and a victim of identity theft, looks over documents he's put together as he tries to get back his stolen IRS federal tax return refund (Photo by John Carl ...

Tax-related identity theft occurs when stolen Social Security numbers are used to file fraudulent returns and claim refunds. According to an interim report by the Treasury Inspector General For Tax ...

Even though the Identity Theft Resource Center reported fewer identity crime cases between 2024 and 2025, the number of ...

Identity theft has evolved far beyond stolen wallets and phishing emails. Criminals are now using an ever-increasing variety of tools that include AI-powered scams and deepfake videos to open accounts ...

Marshall Gunnell is a Tokyo-based tech journalist and editor with over a decade of experience covering IT, cybersecurity and data storage. Alongside CNET, his work has appeared in ZDNET, Business ...

Due to no fault of your own, your personal information could be anywhere. The current highest number of data breaches in a year recorded by the Identity Theft Resource Center is 3,200. 1 Even more ...

This follows a wave of scam emails reported in late February, where fraudsters were impersonating the SSA. The messages ...

Identity theft protection services have nearly become mandatory in 2026. Years ago, it was rare, but nowadays, identity theft is common. The digital world, as beautiful and sprawling as it is, is ...