It’s Tax Time: Don’t Get Scammed

Published: April 1, 2026

In the fall of 2025, the federal government began phasing out the issuance and receipt of paper checks, impacting Social Security Administration and IRS payments refunds. In addition to increased efficiency, speedier payment processing, and cost savings, it is intended to reduce potential fraud. While this is a positive move toward cutting scams and fraud, criminals have become increasingly creative, and tax season is one of their favorite times of the year.

While vigilance can help to avoid being a victim, technology and AI have facilitated growing sophistication in criminal activities, resulting in efforts that appear to be legitimate and are often difficult to detect. Klingenstein Fields Advisors is by your side to help build your knowledge and awareness of potential criminal actions and provide tips to help you identify and respond to attempts if you are targeted. Some common tactics to be on the lookout for include:

Criminals will often convey a sense of urgency, where you are told you must take action immediately in order to avoid substantial penalties, fines, account freezes, or even arrest. This is an indication that these are “bad actors.” You can report attempted scams to the IRS through the dedicated page on its site. The government also provides a number resources and information on recognizing and protecting yourself from potential government imposter frauds and scams.

If you are unsure about a solicitation or request, please reach out to us at 212.492.7000 or info@klingenstein.com. We are here to provide guidance to help protect you and avoid potential financial fraud.

Important Disclosures

This material is provided for informational or educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, accounting, tax or legal advice. Always consult a financial, tax and/or legal professional regarding your specific situation. This communication is not intended as a recommendation or as investment advice of any kind. It is not provided in a fiduciary capacity and may not be relied upon for or in connection with the making of investment decisions. Nothing herein constitutes or should be construed as an offering of advisory services or an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities or a recommendation to invest in any specific investment strategy. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. The views expressed herein are as of a particular point in time and are subject to change without notice. The information and opinions presented herein are general in nature and have been obtained from, or are based on, sources believed by Klingenstein Fields Advisors (“KF Advisors’) to be reliable, but KF Advisors makes no representation as to their accuracy or completeness. Although the information provided is carefully reviewed, KF Advisors cannot be held responsible for any direct or incidental loss resulting from applying any of the information provided. KF Advisors represents two investment advisers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission: Klingenstein, Fields & Co., L.P. ® and KF Group, LP. If you are a KF Advisors client, please remember that it remains your responsibility to advise KF Advisors, in writing, if there are any changes in your personal/financial situation or investment objectives for the purpose of reviewing/evaluating/revising our previous recommendations and/or services, or if you would like to impose, add, or to modify any reasonable restrictions to our investment advisory services.