As the upcoming 2025 tax season draws near, which is only 4 days from now, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Security Summit partners have increased warnings to taxpayers and practitioners about essential security procedures and looming scams. Because the cyber hackers are targeting personal financial data more and more, the agency warns to the sense of urgency that comes from protecting online accounts, receiving Identity Protection PINs (IP PINs), and familiarizing oneself with new filing processes. The alert points out the place of intersection among modern security equipment and constant attempts at fraud, calling for prompt measures in preserving personal data and automating tax processes.
The central role of the IRS online account
The IRS is speedily promoting its campaign encouraging taxpayers to establish and utilize IRS Online Accounts, the umbrella site for all tax activity. The site allows taxpayers to view payment history, order tax transcripts, and check refund status without recourse to third-party vendors. The 2025 filing season goal of the agency is to call attention to new features including electronic filing of claims for dependents and real-time account action notices. Tax practitioners are particularly encouraged to enroll because the portal now supports EFIN verification and file upload, reducing dependence on insecure email transmission.
With account access, taxpayers can directly correct errors, such as duplicate claims for dependents, that previously caused delays in refunds. Multi-factor authentication on the portal also lowers the risk of phishing attacks, the typical means identity thieves get EFINs and client data.
Identity protection PINs: An optional safeguard
Mass use of Identity Protection PINs, or IP PINs, is one of the pillars of the IRS 2025 security plan. The six-digit identifying number, given to every taxpayer, blocks identity theft by verifying returns prior to their acceptance for processing. The IRS began offering the process utilized to submit the IP PIN request for destruction starting April 13, 2025, suspending new requests for the time being up to mid-January 2026. Early filers need to get their IP PINs before this shut down to avoid delayed refunds.
Particularly, 2025 introduces a fundamental change: filing electronically for dependents who have already been reported on another return only is acceptable when an IP PIN is available. The change fixes decades-old issues with divorced parents or custodians unintentionally triggering rejections by completing the same child. With IP PINs, the IRS enables second filers to settle disagreements electronically, not in paper form, accelerating refund cycles.
Hyperbolic scam threats and defense
In spite of technological advancement, IRS impersonation scams persist. Latest alerts define phishing attacks as “Automatic Income Tax Reminders” or “EFIN Verification Requests” employing malware or credential theft by means of imitated login pages. In 2024, the scam was one that requested the recipient to send driver’s licenses and EFIN documents to a phony address with the threat of disabling e-filing functionalities. Another campaign employed the IRS mailings as a disguise, offering “unclaimed refunds” for banking information and duplicates of government-issued identification.
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig once more made it clear that the agency does not call taxpayers by phone, email, text, or social media to request personal information. Tax professionals should scrutinize unsolicited messages with caution, especially those that imply urgency to take action or disclose sensitive information. Conversely, the IRS invites users to report attempts at phishing and verify inquiries through their Online Accounts or official hotlines.
Quick actions for taxpayers
In order to navigate the 2025 filing season safely securely, taxpayers are required to:
- Enroll in an IRS Online Account: It provides instant access to payment history, electronic notices, and IP PIN management tools.
- Order an IP PIN before April 13: Early enrollment avoids processing delays within the system maintenance period.
- Check dependent eligibility: Schedule with other claimants to have IP PINs included in electronic submission to avoid rejection.
- Report suspicious activity: Report phish emails to phishing@irs.gov and secure accounts from unexpected changes.
By doing these things in advance, taxpayers can minimize the chances of identity theft and help streamline communications with the IRS. As cybercrooks continue to evolve their methods, taking proactive steps in account management and following official processes remain the best defenses.
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