Senator Hassan Presses IRS Commissioner on AI-Fueled Tax Scams, Addressing Paper Backlog

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan pressed Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel on addressing AI-generated tax scams, reducing paper tax return backlogs, and expanding access to tax benefits for new mothers during a Senate Finance Committee hearing today.

To watch Senator Hassan’s questioning, click here

Senator Hassan first raised concerns about recent reporting that AI technology, such as ChatGPT, could be used to generate realistic and high-quality scam messages impersonating IRS agents or tax preparers. Senator Hassan pressed Commissioner Werfel on how the IRS is adapting its anti-fraud services to meet this emerging threat.

Senator Hassan next asked Commissioner Werfel about how the IRS can address the backlog of paper tax returns, specifically highlighting a bipartisan bill that she introduced to help convert paper tax returns to electronic versions.

Finally, Senator Hassan asked Commissioner Werfel about tax benefits for new mothers and how to support programs such as the Nurse-Family Partnership, which helps new mothers learn about and enroll for benefits, such as the child tax credit. Commissioner Werfel discussed the IRS’ aims to improve customer service, as well as the possibility of partnering with other federal agencies.

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