I knew things were not quite right when I had to throw a towel over a broken Ikea lamp to block out its light. How did I get here? I cover fancy and capable tech for a living, and yet, it took me two years to get rid of a pair of old, broken Ikea lamps in my bedroom. Then I got some floor lamps from Govee that changed everything.
Technology
Tax season scams surge as filing confusion grows
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Tax season already brings stress. In 2026, it brings added confusion. Changes to tax filing programs and the discontinuation of the free government-run filing system have left many taxpayers unsure about what is legitimate. That uncertainty has created an opening for scammers who move quickly when people hesitate.
“Every tax season we see scammers ramp up their activity, and with likely confusion now that the free government-run filing system is discontinued, we’re sure scammers will take advantage,” said Lynette Owens, vice president of consumer marketing and education at Trend Micro.
In past years, scammers have leaned heavily on impersonation. Fake IRS emails promising refunds, text messages claiming accounts have been flagged under new rules and fraudulent tax help offers that promise faster returns continue to circulate, Owens said. As February begins, many taxpayers feel pressure to file quickly. That urgency creates the perfect conditions for fraud.
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WHY SCAMMERS OPEN BANK ACCOUNTS IN YOUR NAME
Scam emails often pose as IRS notices and demand immediate action to protect a refund. The IRS does not contact taxpayers this way. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Why scammers thrive when tax rules feel unclear
Uncertainty is one of the most effective tools scammers have. When taxpayers are unsure how filing rules work or whether a message is legitimate, criminals step in with communications designed to sound official and helpful. The goal is not clarity. It is speed.
“Scammers aim to create a heightened sense of anxiety among the people they are targeting,” Owens said. “When taxpayers don’t feel confident about what’s real, whether it’s new filing options, eligibility rules or program updates, criminals step in with messages that sound official and helpful.” They often pose as the IRS, a tax prep service, or even government support. Once trust is established, the message quickly turns transactional, asking for clicks, personal data or payments.
The most common IRS impersonation scams right now
While the delivery methods change, the core message rarely does. Something is wrong, and it must be fixed immediately.
“The most common tactic we’re seeing is fake refund or account alert messages that claim something is wrong and demand immediate action,” Owens said. Other scams go a step further. Some direct victims to fake IRS login pages designed to steal credentials.
Others promote fraudulent tax assistance, presenting themselves as government-backed or low-cost help in order to collect personal and financial information. These scams arrive by email, text message, phone calls and fake websites. Many are polished enough to appear legitimate at first glance.
Why phrases like new rules and urgent issues work
Language plays a central role in tax scams. Phrases such as new rules or urgent account issues are designed to trigger panic before logic has a chance to catch up. They suggest the recipient has missed something important or risks losing money.
“Those phrases work because they can trigger panic and urgency, and people are more likely to react emotionally than logically,” Owens said. “New rules suggest you may have missed something important, and an urgent account issue creates fear of penalties, delays or losing a refund.”
The safest response is to pause. Do not click links, reply to messages or call phone numbers included in the alert. Instead, go directly to a trusted source like IRS.gov using your own browser.
A real tax scam message that looks legitimate
Many tax scams follow a familiar structure. A common example reads: “IRS Notice: Your tax refund is on hold due to a filing discrepancy under updated 2026 rules. Verify your identity now to avoid delays.”
At first glance, messages like this may appear credible. They often include official-looking logos, reference numbers and links that resemble real government pages.
“It may include a convincing IRS-style logo, a case number and a link that looks legitimate at a glance,” Owens said. “But the red flags are usually the same.” The message pressures immediate action, directs users to non-government websites, and requests sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, bank details or login credentials.
HOW TO STOP IMPOSTOR BANK SCAMS BEFORE THEY DRAIN YOUR WALLET
Fake IRS alerts use urgent language like “account issue” or “new rules” to trigger panic. Scammers rely on fear to push quick decisions. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What happens after someone falls for a tax scam?
The damage rarely ends with a single click.
“The most serious consequences are identity theft and financial loss,” Owens said. “Once scammers have personal information, they can file fraudulent tax returns, steal refunds, open credit accounts and access bank funds.”
Victims often spend months working to recover lost money, repair credit damage and restore their identities.
How the IRS really communicates with taxpayers
Despite repeated warnings, many people still believe the IRS might email or text them.
“A legitimate tax service or the IRS won’t reach out unexpectedly by email, text or social media, and they won’t pressure you to act immediately,” Owens said.
Scam messages often share the same warning signs. They sound urgent, include links or attachments and ask for sensitive information right away. If a message creates panic or demands fast action, that alone is reason to be skeptical. The IRS primarily communicates by official mail. Unexpected digital contact should always raise concern.
What to watch for next as scams evolve
Tax scams continue to grow more sophisticated each year.
“Taxpayers should watch for scams that feel more real than ever,” Owens said. “That includes highly polished phishing emails, refund texts designed for quick mobile clicks, fake tax help ads and cloned websites that mimic real IRS or tax prep portals.”
The biggest mistake people still make is treating an unexpected tax message like an emergency.
“In tax season, speed is the scammer’s advantage,” Owens said. “Taking 30 seconds to double-check the source can prevent months of financial and identity damage.”
What to do if you clicked or responded by mistake
If someone realizes too late that a message was fraudulent, fast action can limit the damage.
“First, stop engaging immediately,” Owens said. “Don’t click links, download attachments or reply.”
Next, report the incident. Forward phishing emails to phishing@irs.gov and file a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
After that, monitor financial accounts closely, change passwords and consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze if necessary.
To learn more about how to do this, go to Cyberguy.com and search “How to freeze your credit.”
SCAMMERS TARGET RETIREES AS MAJOR 401(K) RULE CHANGES LOOM FOR 2026 TAX YEAR AHEAD NATIONWIDE
Tax scammers target personal and financial data to steal refunds or commit identity theft. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Ways to stay safe during tax season
Scammers count on rushed decisions. The good news is that a few smart habits can dramatically lower your risk.
1) Slow down before responding to tax messages
Urgency is the scammer’s favorite tool. Messages that demand immediate action aim to short-circuit your judgment.
“Scammers rely on fear, urgency or false promises, especially during tax season,” Owens said. “It’s important to slow down, verify information through official channels, and use trusted security tools.” If a message pressures you to act fast, stop. Take a breath before doing anything else.
2) Verify filing changes through official IRS channels
Scam messages often reference new rules, updated policies or eligibility changes. That language sounds credible when filing programs shift. Always confirm changes by typing IRS.gov directly into your browser or signing in to your trusted tax provider account. Never rely on links or phone numbers included in a message.
3) Protect tax accounts with strong credentials
Tax portals hold valuable personal and financial data. Weak passwords make them easy targets. Use strong and unique passwords for every tax-related account. A password manager can help generate and store secure credentials without relying on memory.
Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.
Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com
4) Watch for pressure tactics and refund promises
Scammers know refunds motivate quick action. Messages claiming your refund is waiting, delayed or at risk often signal fraud. Be cautious of promises like faster refunds, guaranteed results or special access to government-backed assistance. Legitimate services do not operate that way.
5) Avoid links and secure your devices with strong antivirus software
Clicking a single link can expose login credentials or install malware. Do not click on links in unexpected tax messages. Also, use strong antivirus software to help block malicious sites and detect threats before damage occurs.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
6) Reduce your digital footprint
Personal data fuels tax scams. The more information criminals can find online, the easier impersonation becomes. Using a data removal service can help limit exposed personal details across data broker sites. Less data means fewer opportunities for scammers to exploit your identity.
While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
Tax season pressure makes even cautious people vulnerable. In 2026, filing confusion adds fuel to the fire. Scammers know this and design messages to look official, urgent and helpful. Pausing, verifying and trusting official sources remains the strongest defense. When something feels rushed, it is usually for a reason.
Have you received a suspicious IRS message this tax season, and what made you question whether it was real? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Multiple sources are reporting that the Trump administration has dismissed the entire National Science Board (NSB). The NSB advises the president and Congress on the National Science Foundation (NSF), which has already been funding research at historically low levels and has seen significant delays in doling out that funding. The NSF has been fundamental in helping develop technology used in MRIs, cellphones, and it even helped get Duolingo get off the ground.
In a statement, Zoe Lofgren, the ranking Democrat on the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, said:
“This is the latest stupid move made by a president who continues to harm science and American innovation. The NSB is apolitical. It advises the president on the future of NSF. It unfortunately is no surprise a president who has attacked NSF from day one would seek to destroy the board that helps guide the Foundation. Will the president fill the NSB with MAGA loyalists who won’t stand up to him as he hands over our leadership in science to our adversaries? A real bozo the clown move.”
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Go to any people finder site right now and type in your name. What comes back might shock you: your age, home address, phone number, the names of your relatives, where you used to live and even what your property is worth.
You didn’t put that there, and you never consented to it. Still, it’s out there, and anyone with an internet connection can see it.
Scammers figured this out a long time ago. Since then, they’ve turned it into a system for targeting you, your parents and your kids.
So how does it actually work, and more importantly, what can you do to stop it?
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HOW TO REMOVE YOUR PERSONAL INFO FROM PEOPLE SEARCH SITES
A single person search result can reveal your address, relatives and years of personal history in seconds. (Kury “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How scammers find your personal data online
Before a criminal sends a phishing email or makes a call, they do their homework. Importantly, they don’t need to hack anything. Instead, they use the same public websites that anyone can access.
In less than 10 minutes, a scammer can build a detailed profile on you using data broker sites like Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified and Intelius. Here’s what that profile looks like and how they build it step by step.
Step 1: How scammers search your name on people finder sites
It starts simply. A scammer types your name into a search site. Within seconds, they see results like:
John M. Patterson | Age: 61 | Cleveland, OH
- Also known as: John Michael Patterson
- Current address: [your street address]
- Previous addresses: 4 records found
- Phone numbers: 2 found
- Email addresses: 3 found
- Relatives: 5 found
That is the starting point. Many sites show partial data for free. That is often enough to confirm identity. Full reports cost only a few dollars, so access is easy. Scammers can repeat this process hundreds of times a day, building detailed profiles with very little effort.
Step 2: How scammers map your family and relatives
Next, this is where things get personal. Data broker profiles show more than your name. They reveal your family network.
That often includes:
- Spouse or partner
- Children
- Parents
- Siblings
- Roommates
As a result, scammers can target more than one person. For example, they may learn that your elderly parent lives alone or your child just moved. Because of that, scams like the grandparent scam feel real instead of random.
Step 3: How scammers use your address history
At this point, your address history becomes critical. It is not just about where you live. Instead, scammers use it to:
- Verify identity
- Find relatives
- Build trust
For example, referencing a past address makes a caller sound legitimate. That detail alone can lower suspicion.
Step 4: How scammers use your financial data
More importantly, data brokers also reveal financial clues. These may include:
- Estimated income
- Home value
- Ownership status
- Length of residence
This information comes from public records, not hacking. Because of this, scammers tailor their approach. Higher-income targets may see investment scams.
Others may get job or rental scams instead.
GOOGLE SEARCH LED TO A COSTLY SCAM CALL
Scammers use data broker profiles to map your family and build more convincing, targeted attacks. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Step 5: How scammers verify and cross-check your data
Before launching a scam, criminals often double-check everything. They don’t rely on just one site. Instead, they compare multiple data broker profiles, social media accounts and public records to confirm details are accurate.
For example, they may:
- Match your address across different sites
- Check Facebook or LinkedIn to confirm family relationships
- Look for recent moves, job changes or life events
Because of this, the profile becomes more reliable. That extra step is what turns a guess into something that feels real.
Step 6: How scammers create targeted scams
At that point, they have everything they need. They know your name, family, address and financial details. Now the scam becomes highly specific.
By the time you hear from them, they already know enough to sound like someone you trust.
- They may call your parent pretending to be you
- They may bypass bank security questions
- They may send texts that look like your child
- They may send emails that reference your life
As a result, the scam feels believable.
Data broker scams are already being prosecuted
This has already landed in court. The U.S. Department of Justice has prosecuted companies like Epsilon, Macromark Inc. and KBM Group for selling data to scammers. Epsilon alone paid $150 million to victims.
At the same time, data tied to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center shows more than half of fraud cases involving older Americans were linked to exposed personal data. That shows how serious this problem has become.
Why is your personal data on data broker sites
You do not need to sign up for these sites. Instead, your data comes from many sources, including:
- Voter records
- Property records
- Court filings
- Social media
- Marketing surveys
- Loyalty programs
- Phone directories
- Other data brokers
Because of this, your information spreads quickly.
Why your data keeps reappearing online
Even after removal, your data often comes back. Data brokers constantly update their databases. They buy and resell fresh records. Because of that, one-time removal is not enough.
By the time a scam reaches you or your family, it is often built on real data pulled from multiple public sources. (Wei Leng Tay/Bloomberg)
How to disrupt a scammer’s research before they reach your family
The goal isn’t to disappear completely. It’s to make the profile messy enough, incomplete enough and hard enough to find that scammers move on to easier targets.
Here’s what you can do:
- Search for yourself first. Go to Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified or any other people search site, and look up your own name. See exactly what’s there before a scammer does. That snapshot is your starting point.
- Submit opt-out requests manually. Every major data broker is required to honor removal requests. The catch: There are hundreds of them, each with its own process, and they relist your information regularly. It’s a full-time job.
- Use an automated removal service. This is where I strongly recommend a data removal service. Instead of spending hours submitting individual opt-out forms, a data removal service sends removal requests to 420-plus data brokers on your behalf and keeps sending them when your data reappears. Because it will reappear.
- Set up family alerts. Tell your elderly relatives that you will never ask for money via text from an unknown number. Establish a code word. Scams work because they create panic. A simple family protocol breaks the spell.
- Change your security questions. If your bank still uses “mother’s maiden name” or “city you were born in” as verification, that information is likely already on a data broker site. Switch to nonsense answers that only you know and store them in a password manager.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com
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Kurt’s key takeaways
This kind of scam works because it feels personal. When someone knows your name, your family and even where you used to live, your guard drops. That is exactly what criminals are counting on.
The uncomfortable truth is that your information is already out there, often in more places than you realize. You do not need to panic, but you do need to be proactive. The more you limit what is easily accessible, the harder it becomes for someone to build a convincing story around you. Start with a simple search of your own name. That one step can completely change how you think about your digital footprint. From there, take action to remove what you can and protect what you cannot.
If a stranger can build a detailed profile on your family in minutes, what does that say about how much of your life is already exposed online? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
- Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox.
- For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
- Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.
Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Those Ikea lamps were around for two years after I moved from Orange County to Los Angeles. Soon after that move, my mom’s Parkinson’s disease — a neurodegenerative condition with no cure — progressed quickly, my mental health took a hit, and most of my own to-do list quietly slid to the back burner as she lost mobility and more urgent things took over. So the big, ugly lamps just… stayed. They became part of the background, like everything else I wasn’t taking care of.
I didn’t even have them plugged into a smart plug — another small upgrade I kept meaning to add to my bedroom, despite having them all over the apartment — which meant I had to get up every time I wanted to turn one on.
One blasted harsh, overpoweringly bright light through a cracked shade. The other was warmer — but not warm enough — so I solved that problem one exhausted night by just throwing a towel over it. Yes, a fire hazard. Yes, I meant it as a temporary fix for a few days. But scattered caregiving brain means temporary fixes can turn into long-term solutions. At some point, it stopped feeling temporary and just became my new normal, even if it clearly wasn’t.
Then my brother bought my mom and me two separate Govee Uplighter Floor Lamps for Christmas, and my Ikea lamp troubles were over. I did not expect to develop an emotional attachment to a lamp. But I did, and now it’s one of my favorite gadgets.
The Govee was quick and easy to assemble, and much slimmer, taking up way less space than the old lamps. As I got rid of the old and set up the new, I felt an odd sense of relief and a small sense of control I hadn’t felt since the move.
Within a week, the old lamp was out of my room. That small shift gave me momentum. I started decluttering other corners that had quietly piled up, things I’d been stepping around for months without really seeing anymore.
The bedroom stopped feeling like an unfinished project I was merely surviving, and started feeling steadier. Calmer. Like a place I could finally exhale in. My days often feel structured around what my mom needs and what has to get done next. I don’t really think about my own space at all, except as something else I haven’t gotten to yet. Having a room that felt calm, even a little bit, made it easier to wind down at the end of the day instead of carrying that feeling of being “on” all the time into the night. It brought me back to myself, even if only a little.
I could relax in a way I hadn’t in a while, without feeling like I should be getting up to do something else. I could dim the lamp from my phone instead of standing up. I could shift from cool to warm without needing a towel and risking starting a fire. There’s a ripple effect that slowly moves across the wall and, for reasons I can’t fully explain, genuinely helps me fall asleep. Cycling through soft colors in the app and syncing it with ambient music is soothing. Sometimes, the changing colors feel a little bit like magic, and I find myself watching them the way I might have as a kid, reminded — briefly — that life can be more playful than it’s felt in a while. The warm, shifting light seems to have a similar effect on my mom, who lives with me, sometimes comforting and even dazzling her as she navigates some of the more difficult parts of the disease, like sundowning, along with her own quiet grief of losing pieces of herself.
And I love that it does all that and more without demanding much. Setup took about 15 to 20 minutes and didn’t require that I try to wrap my head around tools. You control it through the Govee app on your phone, and because it supports Matter, you can also pair it with platforms like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control. It offers a wide range of colors, along with 80 preset scenes and seven music modes. At $179.99, it’s pricey, but it’s versatile, basically acting as three lights in one: a top section that casts a soft ripple onto the ceiling, a colorful middle light, and a regular white light at the bottom.
It’s an amazing gift, truly, and I am so grateful for it. Mine, however, had just one problem: It sometimes forgets to be a lamp. It doesn’t lose Wi-Fi. It doesn’t show as offline in the app. It just turns off randomly. The first time it happened, I was rewatching Stranger Things to prepare for the last season. The lights flickered on screen, and then my room went dark. The vibe went from relaxing to terrifying in a second, as I briefly wondered if reality and TV had merged (I might have also had too much wine). Once my brain rebooted, I opened the Govee app and turned it back on. No problem. I assumed it was a power or Wi-Fi issue. Govee sent me a new unit that worked perfectly.
When it works — which is most of the time — it quietly makes my life better. And somehow, that’s been enough to make it one of my new favorite gadgets. It didn’t fix everything, but it helped me start taking care of my space — and myself — again.
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