Scammers Getting Trickier This Tax Season

AARP Nebraska State Director details how to avoid scammers online

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Scammers are taking advantage of tax season to target people with government imposter scams, claiming the victim owes back taxes and demanding immediate payment through methods like wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency ATMs. AARP Nebraska State Director Todd Stubbendieck warns that these scams can impact people of all ages, not just older adults, and encourages reporting any suspicious activity to law enforcement.

Why it matters

Tax season provides scammers with an opportunity to take advantage of people's fears and sense of urgency around potential tax issues. As technology advances, scammers are becoming more sophisticated in their tactics, making it increasingly important for the public to be aware of these schemes and know how to protect themselves.

The details

Scammers will contact people claiming to be from the IRS and demand immediate payment of back taxes, threatening fines or legal action if the victim doesn't comply. They instruct the victim to send money through wire transfers, purchase gift cards and provide the numbers, or use cryptocurrency ATMs - methods that are difficult to trace. While older adults have historically been the primary targets, younger people are now the fastest growing demographic losing money to these scams.

  • Tax season is officially here.

The players

Todd Stubbendieck

The AARP Nebraska State Director who provided details on the tax season scams.

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What they’re saying

“No legitimate government or business entity is going to contact you out of the blue and say you owe money, and if you get that contact and you have concerns and you should hang up, pick up the phone and call them back at the legitimate number and see whether it's true. But no known legitimate will ever ask you to use, especially a cryptocurrency ATM to make a payment.”

— Todd Stubbendieck, AARP Nebraska State Director (ketv.com)

What’s next

Individuals who receive suspicious contacts claiming to be from the IRS or other government agencies should report the activity to local law enforcement and the Nebraska Attorney General's office.

The takeaway

As scammers become more sophisticated, it's crucial for the public to be vigilant about unsolicited contacts demanding immediate payment, especially through unconventional methods like cryptocurrency ATMs. Reporting any suspicious activity is an important step in helping authorities stay ahead of evolving scam tactics.