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From AI-Powered Filers to Tax Refund Thieves: LifeLock Reveals New Insights on the High Cost Fraud Paying Americans Endure
For many Americans, a tax refund is one of the most important financial moments of the year. Refunds help pay bills, build savings, and stabilize household budgets. New research from government sources and LifeLock, the leader in identity theft protection in the U.S. and part of Gen (NASDAQ: GEN), shows that tax scams are increasingly interfering with refunds, turning everyday tax-paying Americans into fraud-paying Americans. Victims often pay in more ways than one, facing extended delays to rec
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[{"type":"text","content":"In 2024, the IRS flagged $16.5 billion in refunds for possible identity fraud, LifeLock shares how to avoid the costly reality of tax fraud","length":139,"tagName":"p","attribs":{}},{"type":"text","content":"TEMPE, Ariz. and PRAGUE, Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For many Americans, a tax refund is one of the most important financial moments of the year. Refunds help pay bills, build savings, and stabilize household budgets. New research from government sources and LifeLock, the leader in identity theft protection in the U.S. and part of Gen (NASDAQ: GEN), shows that tax scams are increasingly interfering with refunds, turning everyday tax-paying Americans into fraud-paying Americans. Victims often pay in more ways than one, facing extended delays to receive their tax refund, along with financial losses and the time-consuming process of getting their money back and restoring their identity.","length":693,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"image","alt":"1 in 4 taxpayers was a victim of identity theft","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"1 in 4 taxpayers was a victim of identity theft","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":400,"height":244,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/e0ea77360a902c8b787db747a0ae18bb"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/a5tm4P5wR9ZAdTJnE6Maow--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTQzMDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/e0ea77360a902c8b787db747a0ae18bb","width":400,"height":244}},"href":"https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2873950/LifeLock_Tax_Fraud.html","hrefExternal":true,"rel":"nofollow"},{"type":"text","content":"More than 1 in 4 tax-paying Americans have been a victim of identity theft. According to new LifeLock research, the average loss was $8,401 per victim, with some losses as high as $75,000. In many cases, money intended for savings, bills or investments was diverted directly to criminals.","length":288,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"text","content":""Tax season has become one of the riskiest times of year for your identity, especially as more Americans rely on digital tools and AI to manage their taxes," said Ian Bednowitz, General Manager of LifeLock. "Scammers are using AI, fake IRS messages and fraudulent tax preparers to intercept personal data and hijack refunds. A tax return is a treasure trove of information for...