McAfee, a global leader in online protection, today released the results of its 2024 Tax Scams Study. The study surveyed 2,500 adults in the US to understand how online scams, including AI-powered mes...
Autore: Business Wire
McAfee blocked more than one million attempts to engage with malicious, tax-related URLs in February alone*, as the tax filing deadline approaches and more than half of consumers (54%) struggle to differentiate between scam and legitimate messages.
SAN JOSE, Calif.: McAfee, a global leader in online protection, today released the results of its 2024 Tax Scams Study. The study surveyed 2,500 adults in the US to understand how online scams, including AI-powered messages and deepfake video or AI-generated audio, have impacted the traditional tax season turmoil.
The results show that 1 in 4 Americans (25%) has lost money to online tax scams. Of the people who clicked on fraudulent links from supposed tax services, 68% lost money. Among those, 29% lost more than $2,500, and 17% lost more than $10,000. Moreover, 76% lost money after clicking links in cryptocurrency tax-related messages, with 26% losing more than $2,500 and 16% losing more than $10,000.
McAfee's tax season research, and insights from McAfee Labs, point to the impact of deepfake technology to deceive Americans. AI-generated robocalls are becoming more frequent and regionally appropriate accents pose a new challenge. However, less than half (49%) of Americans feel confident in their ability to spot deepfake videos or recognize AI-generated audio, such as fake renditions of IRS agents. Alarmingly, nearly 1 in 3 (29%) say they wouldn't recognize this fraudulent content or weren't aware of its existence. Altogether, this combination of Americans’ scam-spotting uncertainty and the increasingly advanced scams being carried out by cybercrooks points to the need for consumer education and reliable safeguards against online tax scams.
McAfee's threat researchers also discovered a surge in imposter scams aimed at stealing personal information and money. Just last month, McAfee:
McAfee urges consumers to remain vigilant when receiving tax-related messages. The most common phishing email scams identified by McAfee researchers involved those with PDF attachments claiming to be from the IRS related to tax refunds and statements.
"As tax season ramps up, so too does cybercriminal activity. What's new this year is the scale and sophistication of scams we're now seeing thanks to artificial intelligence. From AI-generated robocalls with regional accents to very realistic and convincing fake emails, websites, and scam texts, cybercrooks are utilizing all the AI tools available to them, and so too should consumers to stay safe," said Steve Grobman, Chief Technology Officer at McAfee.
“With less than half of people feeling confident about the tax filing process, scammers are counting on uncertain consumers clicking on unsafe links during the rush for refunds. We urge people to balance convenience with caution, practice good cyber hygiene, and use the latest in AI-powered online protection to keep their privacy, identity, and personal information safe to help ensure a scam-free tax season,” continued Grobman.
Tax Trepidations
With less than half of Americans (48%) feeling very confident about tax filing and most uncertain about identifying tax-related scams, tax season breeds anxiety. However, despite these concerns, many Americans do not take proactive measures to prevent online tax scams.
Taxing Tales of Scam Sagas
In today’s AI-powered digital landscape, cybercrooks are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to trick unsuspecting taxpayers. From messages impersonating tax authorities to deceptive promises of tax refunds, and beyond, online tax scams are pervasive.
Steps for Protecting Yourself from Tax Scams
About McAfee
McAfee Corp. is a global leader in online protection for consumers. Focused on protecting people, not just devices, McAfee’s consumer solutions adapt to users’ needs in an always online world, empowering them to live securely through integrated, intuitive solutions that protect their families, communities, and businesses with the right security at the right moment. For more information, please visit https://www.mcafee.com
* Source: McAfee Labs data
Fonte: Business Wire