Identity theft and phishing are the most common scams faced by US citizens, it has been reported.
According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), consumers and businesses are particularly at threat at this time of the year as tax returns are filed.
IRS commissioner Doug Shulman said fraudsters will try to tempt people in person, online and by email with misleading promises about lost refunds and free money.
He urged people to take extra caution to ensure they do not become sucked in, as reported by Reuters.
The IRS explained that phishing is usually carried out through an unsolicited email or a fake website to lure potential victims.
Criminals attempt to coax people into providing their personal and financial information, which can then be used to commit fraud.
“Armed with this information, a criminal can commit identity theft or financial theft,” the IRS stated.
Other major scams common in the US include fraud by return preparers, scams promising free money, false or inflated income and expenses, falsely claiming zero wages and misuse of trusts.