03/16/2026
2026 Tax-Related Scam Warnings – Did You Know? (2/2)
The IRS recently posted its official list of the worst tax-related scams to watch out for in 2026. They include:
Scams Involving Bogus Tax Credits or Exaggerated Withholding:
Scammers often make false claims about tax rules in order to persuade people to file inaccurate returns. One of these schemes relates to a supposed "self-employment tax credit." No such credit exists, and very few people qualify for the actual credit that the scam involves. Other scammers encourage people to inflate tax withholding figures to get larger refunds. In reality, improperly claiming credits or reporting inaccurate tax figures may trigger severe IRS penalties.
Ghost Preparers:
By law, anyone paid to prepare a tax return for another person must sign the return, and must have an IRS-issued Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Remember, regardless of who prepares it, you are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of your return. Do not take the risk of putting your standing with the IRS in the hands of someone who hides in the shadows.
Offer-in-Compromise (OIC) Mills:
The IRS offer-in-compromise (OIC) program enables some people with large tax debts to settle those debts for less than the full amount owed. However, submitting an OIC application is a very complicated process, and the majority of applications get rejected. OIC mills overpromise results to lure in vulnerable people, and then charge nonrefundable fees to submit applications with virtually no chance of success. If you owe more tax than you can afford to pay, work only with a trusted tax professional who has experience preparing realistic OIC proposals.