DUBUQUE, Iowa—As consumers prepare for the 2026 tax season, Dupaco Credit Union urges its members to stay alert to the evolving IRS impersonation scams—especially those topping the IRS’ 2026 “Dirty Dozen” list of scams. The IRS reports that scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to steal personal information, refunds and financial account access from unsuspecting taxpayers.
“Tax‑related scams spike every year, but this season we’re seeing fraudsters use technology that makes their impersonations startlingly believable,” said Jill Gogel, Vice President, Fraud Services at Dupaco. “If someone reaches out claiming to be from the IRS—especially with urgency or threats—stop immediately. A pause and a quick verification could prevent significant financial harm.”
Two scams included on this year’s IRS Dirty Dozen list that Dupaco is seeing more frequently involve increasingly advanced uses of technology.
First, there’s phishing and smishing—scam emails, direct messages and text messages pretending to be from the IRS. These remain one of the most common schemes this tax season. This type of message often uses language or links to fraudulent websites that are designed to capture sensitive information.
Then, there’s the fast-growing trend of AI-enabled phone impersonation scams. Scammers are now using technology to clone a voice to make a caller sound like someone you might know or trust—this is also known as deepfake AI. Then, they combine it with a spoofed caller ID and automated robocalls to create an urgent scenario.
“It’s important to remember the IRS will not initiate contact by email, text message or social media for any personal information,” Gogel adds.
She also reminds members that scammers often rely on urgency and emotional pressure, using phrases like ‘verify your account,’ ‘claim your refund,’ or ‘your account is locked.’
“The IRS will never demand immediate payment or request payment through gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or other payment apps like Venmo or Zelle,” says Gogel.
Gogel offers these tips to protect yourself during tax season:
- Ignore unsolicited messages claiming to be from the IRS via email, text or social media.
- Verify suspicious phone calls by contacting the IRS directly at its published phone numbers listed on IRS.gov.
- Enable two-factor authentication on all financial accounts like Dupaco’s Shine Online and Mobile Banking.
- Monitor your credit report for signs of identity theft. Dupaco members can use Bright Track, the credit union’s no-cost credit monitoring tool.
- Set up eNotifiers to receive real-time alerts about account activity.
- Contact Dupaco before taking action if you’re unsure whether a message or request is legitimate.
- Slow down and trust your gut. If something seems off, it usually is.
For more fraud prevention resources visit dupaco.com/protection.
About Dupaco Community Credit Union
Dupaco Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. It is dedicated to the financial well-being of its members, and specializes in personalized financial counseling, money advice and education. It offers savings, loans, investments, insurance and wealth management products for individuals and businesses. Dupaco serves residents in 118 counties throughout Iowa, northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin. Founded in 1948 by ten Dubuque Packing Company employees, membership has grown to more than 180,000 with assets exceeding $3.6 billion. It has over 600 employees and 23 branch office locations. Learn more at www.dupaco.com.
