Within the last two years, the IRS’s Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) division has seen an increase in fraudulent activity targeting elderly taxpayers. In fiscal year 2025 alone, IRS‑CI initiated 97 new elder fraud investigations. And halfway into the current fiscal year, investigators have opened an additional 64 cases. IRS-CI says one of the most common schemes is government impersonation. This is where scammers pose as IRS officials and threaten arrest unless an immediate payment is made. Another is lottery and sweepstakes fraud. Here, victims are told they’ve won a monetary prize but must first pay taxes or fees on the winnings. For more information from IRS-CI: https://bit.ly/4eiV2uJ
