The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and its anti-tax-fraud coalition Security Summit have launched their summer Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself campaign.
The five-week series aims to help tax professionals protect client data and reduce exposure to tax-related identity theft.
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The Security Summit, formed in 2015, brings together IRS, state tax agencies and the tax industry to address fraud involving tax returns and taxpayer data.
This year’s summer programme focuses on “emerging scams” targeting tax practices, core security controls and what to do if a breach occurs.
It runs alongside the 2026 IRS Nationwide Tax Forums, where security tools and guidance are being highlighted.
Following a three-day forum in Chicago, events are scheduled in New Orleans and New York City in August, and in Orlando and San Diego in September.
IRS CEO Frank J. Bisignano said: “The 2026 summer series gives tax pros practical steps they can take now to protect client data, strengthen their businesses, and to stay ahead of scam artists and their evolving schemes to defraud taxpayers.”
Week one of the campaign centres on emerging schemes against tax professionals.
The IRS warns that criminals are refining tactics, making staff training and verification of unusual requests increasingly important.
The agency cites impersonation of the IRS by email, text, direct message, spoofed caller ID and automated calls, all used to push victims into clicking malicious links, opening infected attachments or revealing financial details.
Other schemes include “new client” spear-phishing emails with fake tax documents that contain malware and attempts to steal identifiers used by tax professionals such as EFINs, PTINs and CAF numbers.
Later weeks of the campaign will cover phishing and the ‘Security Six’ safeguards, the requirement for a Written Information Security Plan, and protection tools such as multi-factor authentication, identity protection PINs and IRS online services.
The final week of the programme will focus on signs of identity theft and how to report it.
Last month, the IRS and partners revamped their public-private framework to block tax identity theft.
