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Why fake IRS messages and phony tax help are fooling more Americans, and what experts say to watch for

• Scammers are impersonating the IRS and tax prep services through urgent emails, texts, and calls designed to steal personal and financial information.

• Fake refund alerts and phony tax help offers can lead to identity theft and financial loss, with victims often spending months trying to recover.

• Slowing down, ignoring urgent requests, and verifying messages through official IRS channels can help consumers avoid falling victim this tax season.

Tax season already comes with plenty of stress confusing forms, changing rules, and the pressure to file on time. Unfortunately, scammers know that too, and theyre using it to their advantage.

Cybercriminals are ramping up tax-related that impersonate the IRS, tax preparation companies, and even government-backed filing programs. These schemes often show up as urgent emails, text messages, or calls claiming theres a problem with your return, a refund waiting to be claimed, or free tax help you didnt ask for.

The goal is simple: get your personal or financial information before you realize somethings wrong.

ConsumerAffairs interviewed Lynette Owens, Vice President of Consumer Marketing & Education at Trend Micro, who explained why tax season is prime time for scammers and the red flags consumers should never ignore when filing their taxes.

Scammer impersonation tactics

Owens shared three of the most common scammer impersonation tactics that you may come across the tax season:

• Fake refund or account alert messages that claim something is wrong and demand immediate action.

• IRS account problem alerts designed to steal login credentials and sensitive details through fake login pages.

• Fraudulent tax assistance offers, where scammers pose as government-backed or low-cost help to collect personal and financial information.

A legitimate tax service or the IRS wont reach out unexpectedly by email, text, or social media, and they wont pressure you to act immediately, Owens said.

Scam messages often sound urgent, include links or attachments, and ask for sensitive information right away. If a message creates panic or pushes consumers to act fast, thats a strong warning sign.

Steering clear of scammers

For those who fall victim to these , the most serious consequences are identity theft and financial loss.

Once scammers have personal information, they can file fraudulent tax returns, steal refunds, open credit accounts, and/or access bank funds, Owens said. Victims often spend months trying to recover financially and restore their identities.

If you suspect youre being targeted, here are three tips to help you navigate the situation:

• First, stop engaging immediately. Dont click links, download attachments, or reply.

• Second, report the scam by forwarding phishing emails to phishing@irs.gov and reporting it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

• Third, take steps to protect your identity by monitoring financial accounts, changing passwords, and placing a fraud alert or freeze on your credit report if necessary.

Scammers rely on fear, urgency or false promises, especially during tax season, Owens said. Its important to slow down, verify information such as any new filing processes or opportunities for deductions through official IRS channels, and use trusted security tools to verify if anything you see online can be trusted or not.

These steps can help keep scammers at bay and ensure you are able to safely and successfully file your taxes this year.

Researchers found harmful pollution can linger indoors long after skies clear, raising new concerns for families returning home after wildfires

• Wildfire smoke can keep polluting your home long after the flames are out, with harmful chemicals lingering indoors even when outdoor air looks clean again.

• Indoor air can sometimes be worse than outdoor air after a wildfire, as smoke-damaged materials continue releasing toxic VOCs like benzene and toluene.

• Families can take steps to reduce exposure, including smart ventilation, high-quality filtration, and careful cleaning to limit long-term health risks.

When wildfire smoke finally clears, most people assume the danger has passed. The skies look blue again, the air smells normal, and life slowly returns to routine. But according to a new study from UCLAs Fielding School of Public Health, the air inside your home may still be far from safe even weeks after a wildfire is out.

The research found that wildfire smoke can leave behind volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that continue to seep into indoor air long after outdoor air quality improves. Some of these pollutants are known to be harmful even carcinogenic and in certain cases, indoor pollution levels can actually be higher than whats measured outside during the recovery period. In other words, going back inside doesnt always mean youre breathing cleaner air.

As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense across the U.S., the findings reveal a major blind spot for homeowners and renters who assume their homes reset once the smoke is gone. ConsumerAffairs spoke with Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of air quality company IQAir, to learn more about these health risks and what steps families can take to reduce them.

The risks of poor air quality

What should consumers be most worried about? According to Dolphin Hammes, it comes down to exposure to VOCs days and weeks later.

VOCs like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes were elevated more in the post-fire period than during active burning, especially in unoccupied homes, showing that residents can be exposed long after visible smoke is gone, she said. This means simply returning home wont automatically eliminate risk.

On top of that, these chemicals can increase consumers health risks long-term.

These VOCs are released from smoke-impacted materials and can continue to off-gas, elevating indoor exposure. Benzene is a known carcinogen, and long-term exposure can increase cancer risk. Toluene and xylene can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, affect the nervous system, and exacerbate asthma. Ethylbenzene can contribute to respiratory and neurological symptoms. These chemicals are also common in building materials and household products, compounding risk after smoke infiltration.

Reducing chemical exposure

If youve been exposed to these chemicals, Dolphin Hammes encourages consumers to start taking action immediately to limit their health risks. Here are some of her best tips:

• Increase ventilation wisely by opening windows when outdoor air quality improves and outdoor VOCs are lower.

• Run your HVAC system in recirculation with a MERV 13+ filter to avoid drawing outdoor pollution inside.

• Deploy high-performance filtration and activated carbon systems to capture PM2.5, ultrafine particles, and VOCs at high efficiency.

• Clean smoke-soiled surfaces and materials using wet methods (avoid dry sweeping/vacuuming without HEPA filters), and remove or clean fabrics that absorbed smoke.

Continual filtration and cleaning give the biggest reductions in indoor exposures, she explained. When cleaning, avoid using cleaning sprays since nearly all cleaning sprays also release VOCs.

The importance of indoor air quality

Dolphin Hammes explained that indoor air quality is traditionally more polluted than outdoors even in the absence of a wildfire. Because of this, taking steps to filter your air and take the necessary precautions can ensure your family is breathing the cleanest quality air in your home.

Consumers should understand that persisting indoor pollutants arent always detectable by smell, but they can still harm health, she said. Robust filtration tailored to your home size and pollutant mix is more effective than ad-hoc solutions.

Long-term strategies like replacing carpets and upholstery exposed to heavy smoke, cleaning HVAC ducts, and maintaining high-efficiency filters can reduce ongoing emissions. Finally, blended strategies monitoring + filtration + source control + ventilation consistently deliver the greatest health protection. Because indoor air affects every breath you take, post-wildfire indoor air quality deserves the same attention as outdoor air decisions.

Risk for adults who reported medical debt 7% higher than average

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Adults with medical debt face a sharply higher risk of housing instability, including trouble paying rent or a mortgage.

• A new national study found medical debt is linked to a 44% higher likelihood of housing problems the following year.

• Researchers warn the findings highlight a growing affordability crisis that connects health care costs with housing security.

Some surveys have found that medical bills are the most common financial factor cited by individuals who file for bankruptcy, though the exact share is hard to determine. However, new data show new evidence that medical bills can severely impact Americans financial lives.

For example, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reports that people burdened by medical debt are significantly more likely to experience housing instability in the following year.

Their study, published January 12 in JAMA Network Open, found that adults who reported medical debt in 2024 had a seven-percentage-point higher chance of facing housing instability in 2025 than those without medical debt. That difference translates to a 44% increased risk of problems such as difficulty paying rent or a mortgage, eviction, or foreclosure.

The findings add to mounting evidence that medical debtalready a widespread issue in the United Statescan have cascading effects that reach well beyond health care itself.

A common and costly burden

Using data from a nationally representative survey, researchers analyzed responses from 1,515 U.S. adults who participated annually between 2023 and 2025. About one in six respondents reported having medical debt in 2024, while roughly one in 12 reported housing instability in 2025.

Of the 240 participants who said they had medical debt in 2024, 60 reported experiencing housing instability the following year. Renters were particularly affected, accounting for about two in five adults with medical debt in 2025.

Given what we know about the importance of housing for health, these findings suggest that for many people, receiving health care can lead to medical debt, and then to housing instability, said Kyle Moon, the studys first author and a doctoral candidate in the Bloomberg Schools Department of Mental Health. This can create a cascade of consequences, including delayed health care, that jeopardizes health.

The broader affordability picture

The research team, led by senior author Dr. Catherine Ettman, examined how financial stressors interact to affect health and well-being. Health care costs in the U.S. can be high even for insured individuals, and medical debt affects tens of millions of households nationwide.

Earlier research by Ettman and colleagues linked medical debt to skipping mental health care in subsequent years. Other studies have shown similar connections between medical debt and forgoing needed medical treatment.

This analysis weaves together two important drivers of affordability in the United States, Ettman said. It suggests that medical debt is linked with housing instability, which we know could have further influence on health outcomes.

The study draws on data from the Cumulative Life Stressors Impact on Mental Health and Well Being (CLIMB) Study, which began in 2020 to measure the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey now tracks a wide range of health and socioeconomic factors, including income, savings, insurance coverage, and housing stability.

BBB says celebrities hawking a weight loss product are AI-generated

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Consumer advocates are warning about a surge in deep-fake videos on social media promoting a weight loss supplement known as LipoMax.

• More than 170 complaints were filed over a two-month period, many tied to fake celebrity and doctor endorsements pushing the so-called pink salt trick.

• Consumers report misleading ads, expensive purchases, aggressive upselling, and difficulty getting refunds.

A growing number of consumers say they were misled into buying a weight loss supplement after encountering highly convincing fake videos on social media that appear to feature celebrities and medical professionals.

The product, called LipoMax, is marketed online as part of the viral pink salt trick diet trend. According to recent consumer complaints, scammers are using artificial intelligence to create deep-fake videos that falsely show well-known figures endorsing the supplement, giving the ads an air of legitimacy.

Several consumers said they saw videos that appeared to show Oprah Winfrey alongside physicians praising dramatic weight loss results. In reality, the videos were fabricated, and neither the celebrities nor the doctors had any connection to the product.

Its not Oprah

A consumer from Illinois told BBB's Scam Tracker: I was on Facebook and noticed a video with Oprah Winfrey and a doctor speaking of the 'pink salt trick diet. Oprah herself talked about the magnificent results as did others on the video. Oprah also claimed she funded the project to manufacture the LipoMax product (pink salt trick). I figured Oprah this must be legit. Over $400 after ordering the product I did indeed receive the order... Now I continue to receive emails asking me to sign on with a weight loss coach for more money."

A Florida consumer shared a similar experience, saying they paid $303.95 for a six-month supply after watching what they believed was a genuine endorsement video. After placing the order, the consumer said they were contacted by someone claiming to be a LipoMax coach who attempted to sell an additional $800 worth of supplements.

Complaints have come in from dozens of states, including California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, highlighting how widespread the ads have become.

What the company says

Beyond fake endorsements, consumers report a range of other issues: unexpected or improper billing, poor product quality, ineffective ingredients, and pressure to continue buying more supplements. Some also said customer service was difficult or impossible to reach.

An investigation into the company behind LipoMax found that while the trademark is registered to a business in Wyoming, consumers are instructed to send returns to addresses in Florida.

The company has said it does not authorize or produce AI-generated or deep-fake promotional videos and blames independent affiliates for creating misleading content. It also says it is working to address misuse of its brand.

Consumer protection experts say the situation underscores a broader problem as scammers increasingly turn to AI tools to make ads more believable.

What to do

To protect yourself from weight loss , experts recommend being skeptical of celebrity or medical endorsements, especially on social media. Research the company independently, read reviews from multiple sources, and be cautious of limited time offers or automatic subscription plans that can lead to recurring charges.

If a purchase quickly leads to pressure to buy additional products or services, thats another red flag.

Suspicious or misleading ads can be reported through consumer protection channels, including ConsumerAffairs, the Federal Trade Commission at 877-FTC-HELP and the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center.