According to cybersecurity company Guardio, Americans experienced a 77 percent increase in IRS-related scam messages in January.

Taxpayers are being tricked into sharing personal information via fraudulent messages that look official, but are not.

Taxpayers should be aware of a recent "smishing" scam that could cost as much as $1,400 or lead to personal data being compromised. Why It Matters Scams can cost U.S. taxpayers thousands of dollars and cause financial difficulty.

It comes as a text message claiming eligibility for a $1,400 stimulus check. It also provides a fake link mimicking the IRS asking for personal information.