IRS-CI urges families to stay vigilant against back-to-school scams

As students across the nation head back to school, the IRS Criminal Investigation’s Atlanta Field Office is urging families to stay alert to seasonal fraud schemes.

During this season, criminals frequently target parents, educators and students with financial offenses such as online shopping scams, impersonation schemes, scholarship fraud and digital exploitation directed at youth.

Back‑to‑school season brings spikes in fake e‑commerce websites, fraudulent fee requests from imposters claiming to represent schools or agencies and scams targeting minors through gaming platforms and social media.

IRS-CI identified over $24 million in cyber-related crime last year. Parents and students can protect themselves from these scams by following these tips.