Scammers posing as tax preparers lure in clients with promises of "outlandish" tax refunds, the IRS said.

"[They] prey on people who do not have a filing requirement, such as low-income individuals or the elderly," the agency warned.

They also hit up people who do have to file and expect a refund. The scammers will promise to get them a much bigger one by telling them they are entitled to tax breaks they don't ordinarily take - such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or the American Opportunity Tax Credit. Or the scammer may promise an outsized refund on the basis of fictitious government benefits or rebates.

These scammers may ask you to sign a blank return or not give you a copy of the return he files for you. Or he may tell you that your refund should be deposited directly into his account first, and then he'll deduct his fee from it before paying you.

If you fall prey to this scam, you'll not only lose out on the refund you are legitimately owed. You may also have to pay penalties for filing a false claim and getting a fraudulent refund.