It’s tax season, and while you’re dreaming about your refund, scammers are, too. Cybercriminals are using the urgency of tax filing to target consumers via texts, phone, calls, ads and more.
Leading into 2026, fraud industry professionals are already reporting a 67% increase in fraud attempts, with tax-related refund update scams leading the surge. That could be why Google Search saw terms like “secure tax” hit an all-time high, and “tax identity shield” rose over 120% in just the past month. Today, we’re sharing five ways Google is helping to protect you from scammers this tax season.
1. Screen those “too good to be true” calls on Pixel
Remember, the IRS will never call you out of the blue to offer a discount. But to make doubly sure you don’t fall for a fake phone call, Pixel phones offer several layers of protection including Call Screen, which detects and filters out spam calls for you.
On average, Pixel users with Call Screen have experienced 70% fewer spam calls.
To help further protect you from sophisticated fraud while keeping your privacy top of mind, Pixel owners can also opt-in for real-time Scam Detection alerts in their Phone app.
Your Pixel will use on-device AI to alert you when it detects conversation patterns commonly associated with scams (like urgent requests for money due to an account breach). You’ll then get a notification, sound, and vibration to warn you that this request has high scam potential.
2. Fact check fraud in seconds
One trending tactic among scammers involves sending fraudulent text messages to your phone or through messaging apps and social media sites. During tax season, many of these scams claim to have information about a potential refund or pose as the IRS. While Android already helps protect you from suspicious texts in Google Messages with built-in Scam Detection
, with Circle to Search and Lens, it’s now easier to spot a potential scam message. And most importantly, you can check for scams with Circle to Search in any messaging or social media app.
On your Android device, just long-press your home button and circle the message that looks suspicious. Our systems will use AI to assess whether the message is likely a scam. You’ll see an overview with guidance and insights including suggested next steps. This capability is also available through Lens via the Google app (Android and iOS) with three short steps: take a screenshot of the message, open Lens in the Google app and tap the screenshot.
