Tax Identity Theft — Fraudulent Return Filing
Attack Trigger
Stolen SSN and income data used to file a fraudulent tax return and claim the victim's refund
What Attackers Want
Your full tax refund amount ($500–$10,000+) plus months of IRS resolution effort
How This Attack Works
Identity thieves use stolen Social Security numbers, employer details, and wage data to file fraudulent federal or state tax returns early in the tax season. When the legitimate taxpayer tries to file, the IRS rejects the return as a duplicate. The criminal has already received the refund via direct deposit or prepaid debit card. Victims must navigate a lengthy IRS identity verification process to reclaim their refund.
Red Flags to Watch For
- ✗IRS rejects your e-filed tax return because one was already filed for your SSN
- ✗IRS sends a notice about a return or income you do not recognize
- ✗You receive a 1099 or W-2 from an employer you have never worked for
- ✗IRS notice mentions a tax balance due for a year you already settled
- ✗You receive an IP PIN from the IRS you did not request — indicates a prior filing incident
- ✗A data breach notification from a company that held your SSN and income data was reported recently
Known Malicious Domains
These domains have been associated with this attack. Never click links going to these addresses.
- irs-early-refund.comMALICIOUS
- tax-prep-discount.netMALICIOUS
- fast-tax-refund.comMALICIOUS
- income-tax-file-now.netMALICIOUS
Glance automatically blocks emails from domains on this list. Domain list is not exhaustive — attackers register new domains continuously.
How Glance Stops This
- Domain similarity analysis catches lookalike sender addresses at millisecond speed
- SPF / DKIM / DMARC validation flags authentication failures before you ever see the email
- VirusTotal + Google Safe Browsing checks every link in real time
- Urgency language detection scores the email higher for manual review
- Known malicious domain blocklist updated continuously from live scan data
Don't wait to get hit.
Glance scans every incoming email against 12 detection layers — including the exact tactics described above — before it reaches your inbox.
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