The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on Saturday alerted U.S. citizens of ongoing security operations north and south of the embassy and in Croix-de-Bouquets. 

Heavy gunfire was reported in the Haitian capital, prompting U.S. government personnel to halt all movements, according to an alert from the Department of State.

The embassy remains open for emergency services.

Officials urged nearby U.S. citizens to avoid the area and monitor local media for updates.

Armed gangs control large portions of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, according to the U.S. State Department and the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). 

Croix-de-Bouquets, one of the areas referenced in Saturday’s security alert, has long been considered a ‘400 Mawozo’ gang stronghold.

‘400 Mawozo’ gang leader Joly Germine, 34, of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, was sentenced to life in prison in December for his role in the 2021 abduction of 16 American citizens, including five children, Fox News Digital previously reported.

The victims, with Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries, were on their way back from an orphanage when they were taken hostage, according to the Justice Department.

The State Department currently maintains a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory for Haiti, citing kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest and limited health care.

The State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.

Amber Rose is sticking up for Charlie Kirk’s widow.

During a recent appearance on a Kick livestream with Sneako on Thursday, the 42-year-old model came to Erika Kirk’s defense, against those who criticize the way she reacted to Charlie’s death.

‘Yeah, I mean they talk s— about her too,’ Rose said. ‘Everyone grieves differently, and I tell people that, like maybe she feels like it’s her duty to keep him alive in a sense by kind of doing everything that he was doing. I don’t know. I don’t know. I can’t tell someone how to grieve you know what I mean?’

Charlie, the founder of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. He and Erika had two children.

Following his assassination, Erika became the new CEO and chair of TPUSA, and has made public appearances at various events.

‘This woman should be kicked to the curb,’ liberal podcaster, Jennifer Welch, said on her ‘I’ve Had It’ podcast about Erika. ‘She is an absolute grifter, just like Donald Trump, and just like her unrepentant, racist, homophobic husband was.’

Elsewhere during the livestream, Rose responded to Ariana Grande’s support of the protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), urging Americans to skip work, school and shopping.

Grande posted an Instagram story encouraging her followers to stay home from work or school on Friday, in honor of the protest, writing, ‘ICE out! Nationwide shutdown! No work. No school. No shopping. Jan 30, 2026.’

‘Ariana Grande … I think she’s worth, I don’t know, $250–300 million dollars, telling people to not go to work, protest ICE. It’s like, ‘Girl, shut the f— up,’ Rose said.

She continued: ‘Do you want to give your money away to these people to stay home from work? Stop telling people to do that … I think anyone that tells people to not go to work, not go to school, not f—ing buy things for their family, and they’re worth $250-300 million dollars, they should shut the f— up.’

Rose famously supported President Donald Trump during his campaign for the presidency in 2024, even speaking at the Republican National Convention.

At the convention, she told the audience she decided to ‘put the red hat on’ and ‘let go’ of any fear she had of being ‘misunderstood’ or ‘of getting attacked by the left.’ 

She later told Maxim in a January 2025 interview she was ‘canceled’ during the election.

‘Unfortunately, the ‘woke’ left cancels people for having a different ideology,’ she told Maxim. ‘Fortunately for me, I don’t give a f— and will always stand 10 toes down until the wheels fall off, regardless of what my beliefs may be. I used to be on the left and thought I was doing the right thing. That’s why it’s so important to have open conversations.’

‘On the left, there’s no objective truth. It’s only about feelings,’ she added.

President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes Iran is negotiating ‘seriously’ with the U.S., stressing that he hopes an ‘acceptable’ deal can be brokered.

The president’s comments were made as he reportedly weighs options on a possible military strike on Iran amid widespread protests and a violent crackdown in the country.

When asked by a reporter aboard Air Force One whether he had decided on a strike against Iran, Trump responded, ‘I certainly can’t tell you that.’

‘But we do have very big, powerful ships heading in that direction,’ he added. ‘I hope they negotiate something that’s acceptable.’

The president then sidestepped a question about whether Tehran would be emboldened if the U.S. opted not to launch strikes on Iran, saying, ‘Some people think that. Some people don’t.’

‘You could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons,’ Trump said. ‘They should do that, but I don’t know that they will. But they are talking to us. Seriously talking to us.’

Trump has said the U.S. will not share military plans with Gulf allies while negotiating with Iran, even as U.S. naval forces surge into the region.

Speaking with Fox News Channel senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich on Saturday, Trump said, ‘We can’t tell them the plan. If I told them the plan, it would be almost as bad as telling you the plan — it could be worse, actually.’

‘But, look, the plan is that [Iran is] talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something,’ Trump continued. ‘Otherwise, we’ll see what happens. … We have a big fleet heading out there, bigger than we had — and still have, actually — in Venezuela.’

On Sunday, the speaker of Iran’s parliament said the Islamic Republic now considers all European Union militaries to be terrorist groups after the bloc declared the country’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terror group over its crackdown on nationwide protests.

Iran again invoked a 2019 law to declare other nations’ militaries terrorist groups following the United States’ designation of the Guard as a terror organization that year.

The announcement by Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a former Revolutionary Guard commander, comes as the Islamic Republic also planned live-fire military drills for Sunday and Monday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade passes.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Israel and Egypt conducted a test reopening of the Rafah Crossing between Egypt and Gaza on Sunday.

Israel’s Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), which oversees humanitarian and civil efforts in Gaza, said the crossing will be open to the public starting Monday morning, but only in a limited capacity, allowing roughly 150 people per day to cross.

Those headed to the crossing will be picked up by buses and brought in organized groups, with each of them being cleared by Israeli intelligence.

Israeli forces will provide security for the crossings in coordination with Egypt and under the supervision of the European Union mission.

Return from Egypt for Gaza residents will only be allowed for those who left Gaza during the course of the war, and only after prior security clearance by Israel.

‘The Rafah crossing has reopened for the movement of people only. Today, a pilot is underway to test and assess the operation of the crossing,’ COGAT said in a statement.

‘The movement of residents in both directions, entry and exit to and from Gaza, is expected to begin tomorrow,’ the statement continued.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said last week that Israel agreed to the ‘limited reopening’ of the crossing under President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan.

‘As part of President Trump’s 20-point plan, Israel has agreed to a limited reopening of the Rafah Crossing for pedestrian passage only, subject to a full Israeli inspection mechanism,’ the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel wrote.

The Prime Minister’s Office said the reopening was contingent on the return of all living hostages and what it described as a ‘100 percent effort’ by Hamas to locate and return the remains of all deceased hostages.

The remains of the final Israeli hostage, Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, were found by Israel and returned last week.

Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.

Tax season already brings stress. In 2026, it brings added confusion. Changes to tax filing programs and the discontinuation of the free government-run filing system have left many taxpayers unsure about what is legitimate. That uncertainty has created an opening for scammers who move quickly when people hesitate. 

‘Every tax season we see scammers ramp up their activity, and with likely confusion now that the free government-run filing system is discontinued, we’re sure scammers will take advantage,’ said Lynette Owens, vice president of consumer marketing and education at Trend Micro.

In past years, scammers have leaned heavily on impersonation. Fake IRS emails promising refunds, text messages claiming accounts have been flagged under new rules and fraudulent tax help offers that promise faster returns continue to circulate, Owens said. As February begins, many taxpayers feel pressure to file quickly. That urgency creates the perfect conditions for fraud.

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Why scammers thrive when tax rules feel unclear

Uncertainty is one of the most effective tools scammers have. When taxpayers are unsure how filing rules work or whether a message is legitimate, criminals step in with communications designed to sound official and helpful. The goal is not clarity. It is speed.

‘Scammers aim to create a heightened sense of anxiety among the people they are targeting,’ Owens said. ‘When taxpayers don’t feel confident about what’s real, whether it’s new filing options, eligibility rules or program updates, criminals step in with messages that sound official and helpful.’ They often pose as the IRS, a tax prep service, or even government support. Once trust is established, the message quickly turns transactional, asking for clicks, personal data or payments.

The most common IRS impersonation scams right now

While the delivery methods change, the core message rarely does. Something is wrong, and it must be fixed immediately. 

‘The most common tactic we’re seeing is fake refund or account alert messages that claim something is wrong and demand immediate action,’ Owens said. Other scams go a step further. Some direct victims to fake IRS login pages designed to steal credentials.

Others promote fraudulent tax assistance, presenting themselves as government-backed or low-cost help in order to collect personal and financial information. These scams arrive by email, text message, phone calls and fake websites. Many are polished enough to appear legitimate at first glance.

Why phrases like new rules and urgent issues work

Language plays a central role in tax scams. Phrases such as new rules or urgent account issues are designed to trigger panic before logic has a chance to catch up. They suggest the recipient has missed something important or risks losing money.

‘Those phrases work because they can trigger panic and urgency, and people are more likely to react emotionally than logically,’ Owens said. ‘New rules suggest you may have missed something important, and an urgent account issue creates fear of penalties, delays or losing a refund.’ 

The safest response is to pause. Do not click links, reply to messages or call phone numbers included in the alert. Instead, go directly to a trusted source like IRS.gov using your own browser.

A real tax scam message that looks legitimate

Many tax scams follow a familiar structure. A common example reads: ‘IRS Notice: Your tax refund is on hold due to a filing discrepancy under updated 2026 rules. Verify your identity now to avoid delays.’ 

At first glance, messages like this may appear credible. They often include official-looking logos, reference numbers and links that resemble real government pages.

‘It may include a convincing IRS-style logo, a case number and a link that looks legitimate at a glance,’ Owens said. ‘But the red flags are usually the same.’ The message pressures immediate action, directs users to non-government websites, and requests sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, bank details or login credentials.

What happens after someone falls for a tax scam?

The damage rarely ends with a single click. 

‘The most serious consequences are identity theft and financial loss,’ Owens said. ‘Once scammers have personal information, they can file fraudulent tax returns, steal refunds, open credit accounts and access bank funds.’

Victims often spend months working to recover lost money, repair credit damage and restore their identities.

How the IRS really communicates with taxpayers

Despite repeated warnings, many people still believe the IRS might email or text them. 

‘A legitimate tax service or the IRS won’t reach out unexpectedly by email, text or social media, and they won’t pressure you to act immediately,’ Owens said.

Scam messages often share the same warning signs. They sound urgent, include links or attachments and ask for sensitive information right away. If a message creates panic or demands fast action, that alone is reason to be skeptical. The IRS primarily communicates by official mail. Unexpected digital contact should always raise concern.

What to watch for next as scams evolve

Tax scams continue to grow more sophisticated each year. 

‘Taxpayers should watch for scams that feel more real than ever,’ Owens said. ‘That includes highly polished phishing emails, refund texts designed for quick mobile clicks, fake tax help ads and cloned websites that mimic real IRS or tax prep portals.’

The biggest mistake people still make is treating an unexpected tax message like an emergency. 

‘In tax season, speed is the scammer’s advantage,’ Owens said. ‘Taking 30 seconds to double-check the source can prevent months of financial and identity damage.’

What to do if you clicked or responded by mistake

If someone realizes too late that a message was fraudulent, fast action can limit the damage. 

‘First, stop engaging immediately,’ Owens said. ‘Don’t click links, download attachments or reply.’

Next, report the incident. Forward phishing emails to phishing@irs.gov and file a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

After that, monitor financial accounts closely, change passwords and consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze if necessary.

To learn more about how to do this, go to Cyberguy.com and search ‘How to freeze your credit.’ 

Ways to stay safe during tax season

Scammers count on rushed decisions. The good news is that a few smart habits can dramatically lower your risk.

1) Slow down before responding to tax messages

Urgency is the scammer’s favorite tool. Messages that demand immediate action aim to short-circuit your judgment. 

‘Scammers rely on fear, urgency or false promises, especially during tax season,’ Owens said. ‘It’s important to slow down, verify information through official channels, and use trusted security tools.’ If a message pressures you to act fast, stop. Take a breath before doing anything else.

2) Verify filing changes through official IRS channels

Scam messages often reference new rules, updated policies or eligibility changes. That language sounds credible when filing programs shift. Always confirm changes by typing IRS.gov directly into your browser or signing in to your trusted tax provider account. Never rely on links or phone numbers included in a message.

3) Protect tax accounts with strong credentials

Tax portals hold valuable personal and financial data. Weak passwords make them easy targets. Use strong and unique passwords for every tax-related account. A password manager can help generate and store secure credentials without relying on memory.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see ) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com

4) Watch for pressure tactics and refund promises

Scammers know refunds motivate quick action. Messages claiming your refund is waiting, delayed or at risk often signal fraud. Be cautious of promises like faster refunds, guaranteed results or special access to government-backed assistance. Legitimate services do not operate that way.

5) Avoid links and secure your devices with strong antivirus software 

Clicking a single link can expose login credentials or install malware. Do not click on links in unexpected tax messages. Also, use strong antivirus software to help block malicious sites and detect threats before damage occurs.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

6) Reduce your digital footprint

Personal data fuels tax scams. The more information criminals can find online, the easier impersonation becomes. Using a data removal service can help limit exposed personal details across data broker sites. Less data means fewer opportunities for scammers to exploit your identity.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Tax season pressure makes even cautious people vulnerable. In 2026, filing confusion adds fuel to the fire. Scammers know this and design messages to look official, urgent and helpful. Pausing, verifying and trusting official sources remains the strongest defense. When something feels rushed, it is usually for a reason.

Have you received a suspicious IRS message this tax season, and what made you question whether it was real? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter. 

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