Every year, the IRS publishes its list of the top tax scams. Known as the Dirty Dozen list, the IRS publishes these to help taxpayers be aware of and, hopefully, avoid them. 

Employee Retention Credit (ERC) Claims:Scammers pitch large refunds related to the ERC, and some of these claims have even been featured in radio ads 

Phishing and Smishing:Fake communications from individuals posting as legitimate tax and financial organizations. These campaigns aim to have taxpayers supply information that can lead to identity theft. 

Online Account Help from Third-Party Scammers:Here, individuals will offer to help a taxpayer navigate irs.gov as a way to steal a taxpayer's personal information.  

False Fuel Tax Credit Claims: Designed for limited use, an increasing number of people are erroneously claiming this credit.  

Fake Charities: Scammers set up fake charities to exploit taxpayers' generosity and gain information that can result in identity theft 

Unscrupulous Tax Return Preparers: A small segment of “tax professionals” (I use the term loosely) use the complexities of our tax system to take advantage of taxpayers, often charging them large fees or making false promises. 

Social Media Disinformation:Don't rely on social media for accurate tax information.  

Spearphishing and Cybersecurity for Tax Professionals: Scammers target tax professionals in hopes of stealing client data.  

Offer in Compromise (OIC) Mills: OIC can be a lifeline for taxpayers who cannot pay what they owe the IRS. Unfortunately, these mills make sky-high promises about relieving tax debt while costing taxpayers and the government thousands of dollars. 

Schemes aimed at High-Income Taxpayers, such as: 

Bogus Tax Avoidance Strategies, such as: 

Schemes with International Elements, such as: