Scammers are targeting tax season to steal your money – and this year there are new risks.
KIRO 7 spoke to a cybersecurity expert about how artificial intelligence is making it harder than ever to stay safe.
“Whether they’re using it in images or videos or even audio recordings, tools for deepfakes are becoming so good,” shared Lynnette Owens. “It’s really hard to distinguish—much harder than it used to be.”
She told KIRO 7 that scammers are using AI to create notices that may look like your bank or financial advisor, all with the goal of taking your money.
And in some cases, people are using AI as a financial advisor.
Experts told KIRO 7 that giving ChatGPT or Claude your personal financial information — is a big no no.
“You can elect not to allow the data you’re entering to be used to train the model that is an option for you,” Owens said.
Investment scams with the promise of quick cash are one of the biggest problems in Washington state.
So what can you do to protect yourself?
Always verify what you see online before you take action.
Don’t click unexpected links or open unexpected attachments.
If you get a suspicious IRS-related call, hang up. The IRS provides guidance on what to do next, including how to report scams.
If you think your tax identity has been compromised, visit IRS.gov/idtheft for steps to protect your account and recover.
The IRS reminds taxpayers that it generally contacts taxpayers by mail first and does not leave urgent, threatening prerecorded messages, call to demand immediate payment, or threaten arrest.
Taxpayers should not rely on AI-generated responses to complex tax questions, and they should verify any calculations or information provided by artificial intelligence.
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