IRS RELEASES DIRTY DOZEN FOR 2023:

The Dirty Dozen represents the worst of the worst tax scams. Compiled annually, the Dirty Dozen lists a variety of common scams that taxpayers may encounter anytime but many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their returns or hire someone to help with their taxes.

For a detailed description of each scam, please refer to the list below:

• IR-2023-65, Dirty Dozen: Watch out for schemes aimed at high-income filers; Charitable Remainder Annuity Trusts, monetized installment sales carry risk
  • "The IRS remains concerned about abusive tax arrangements, and they remain a focal point for our enforcement efforts," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "Taxpayers should beware of potentially abusive arrangements and promoters pushing them. People should seek out trusted, reputable tax advice and not be fooled by aggressive advertising and sales pitches."
• IR-2023-63, Dirty Dozen: Watch out for Offer in Compromise ‘mills’ where promoters claim their services are needed to settle IRS debts
  • "Too often, we see some unscrupulous promoters mislead taxpayers into thinking they can magically get rid of a tax debt," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "This is a legitimate IRS program, but there are specific requirements for people to qualify. People desperate for help can make a costly mistake if they clearly don't qualify for the program. Before using an aggressive promoter, we encourage people to review readily available IRS resources to help resolve a tax debt on their own without facing hefty fees."
• IR-2023-62, Dirty Dozen: IRS urges tax pros and other businesses to beware of spearphishing; offers tips to avoid dangerous common scams
  • "It's vitally important for tax professionals and businesses to maintain a strong defense against cyberattacks like spearphishing," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "The information these businesses have on their systems is extremely valuable to an identity thief looking to steal identities and file fraudulent tax returns. There are simple steps that tax pros and businesses can take to avoid being fooled by these common schemes, including extra caution when opening emails, clicking on links or sharing sensitive client data. Extra care can go a long way to protect tax professionals and businesses as well as their clients."
• IR-2023-61, Dirty Dozen: Taking tax advice on social media can be bad news for taxpayers; schemes circulating involving tax forms
  • "There are many ways to get good tax information, including from a trusted tax professional, tax software and IRS.gov. But people should be incredibly wary about following advice being shared on social media," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "The IRS continues to see a lot of inaccurate information that could get well-meaning taxpayers in trouble. People should remember that there is no secret way to fill out a form and simply get a larger refund that they aren't entitled to. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
• IR-2023-59, Dirty Dozen: IRS warns individuals to stay clear of shady tax preparers; offers tips on carefully choosing tax professionals
  • "Most tax professionals offer excellent advice and can really help people navigate complex tax issues. But we continue to see instances where taxpayers are "ghosted" by unscrupulous tax preparers with bad advice who quickly disappear," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "We encourage taxpayers to check out the tools and resources available to them to ensure they find the right tax professional for their needs."
• IR-2023-57, Dirty Dozen: IRS warns of scammers using fake charities to exploit taxpayers
  • "Following disasters, there are heart-wrenching situations where people want to help," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "But scammers move quickly and use these events to try taking advantage of the public's generosity, stealing not just money, but personal information that can lead to identity theft. Scams requesting donations are especially common over the phone, as well as by email and texts. Taxpayers should never feel pressured to give immediately, and they should look to recognized, established charities to help victims."
• IR-2023-55, Dirty Dozen: Watch out for third-party promoters of false fuel tax credit claims
  • "People should watch out for erroneous fuel tax credit claims and the scammers that promote them," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "These scammers will often charge a hefty fee for these bogus claims, and participants also face the possibility of identity theft. This is another example that people should always remember: Be wary if a tax deal sounds too good to be true."
• IR-2023-54, Dirty Dozen: IRS warns of scammers offering “help” to set up an Online Account; creates identity theft risk for honest taxpayers
  • “Scammers are coming up with new ways all the time to try to steal information from taxpayers,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “An Online Account at IRS.gov can help taxpayers view important details about their tax situation. But scammers are trying to convince people they need help setting up an account. In reality, no help is needed. This is just a scam to obtain valuable and sensitive tax information that scammers will use to try stealing a refund. People should be wary and avoid sharing sensitive personal data over the phone, email or social media to avoid getting caught up in these scams.”
• IR-2023-51, Dirty Dozen: Watch out for scammers using email and text messages to try tricking people during tax season
  • "Email and text scams are relentless, and scammers frequently use tax season as a way of tricking people," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "With people anxious to receive the latest information about a refund or other tax issue, scammers will regularly pose as the IRS, a state tax agency or others in the tax industry in emails and texts. People should be incredibly wary about unexpected messages like this that can be a trap, especially during filing season."
• IR-2023-49, IRS opens 2023 Dirty Dozen with warning about Employee Retention Credit claims; increased scrutiny follows aggressive promoters making offers too good to be true

"The aggressive marketing of these credits is deeply troubling and a major concern for the IRS," said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "Businesses need to think twice before filing a claim for these credits. While the credit has provided a financial lifeline to millions of businesses, there are promoters misleading people and businesses into thinking they can claim these credits. There are very specific guidelines around these pandemic-era credits; they are not available to just anyone. People should remember the IRS is actively auditing and conducting criminal investigations related to these false claims. We urge honest taxpayers not to be caught up in these schemes."