Historically, the typical victim of a tax scam has tended to be older and less technologically savvy than younger adults. But recently, a different pattern is emerging, in which younger adults are increasingly more susceptible. A January 2026 McAfee survey of 3,008 adults aged 18 years and older in the United States highlights this new trend. The study found that nearly one quarter (23%) of all surveyed American adults said they’d fallen for a tax scam . But 42% of 18- to 24-year-olds said they’