Hurricane information
Collapse
X
U.S. Internal Revenue Service Security Summit Alert: New Two-Stage E-mail Scheme Targets Tax Professionals
Collapse
-
U.S. Internal Revenue Service Security Summit Alert: New Two-Stage E-mail Scheme Targets Tax Professionals
U.S. Internal Revenue Service Security Summit Alert: New Two-Stage E-mail Scheme Targets Tax Professionals
January 16, 2017
Washington, DC - - (January 11, 2017) - - The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and tax industry leaders today warned tax professionals to be alert to an email scam from cybercriminals posing as clients soliciting their services.
A new variation of this phishing scheme is targeting accounting and tax preparation firms nationwide. The scheme's objective is to collect sensitive information that will allow fraudsters to prepare fraudulent tax returns.
These latest phishing emails come in typically two stages. The first email is the solicitation, which asks tax professionals questions such as "I need a preparer to file my taxes." If the tax professional responds, the cybercriminal sends a second email. This second email typically has either an embedded web address or contains a PDF attachment that has an embedded web address.
In some cases, the phishing emails may appear to come from a legitimate sender or organization (perhaps even a friend or colleague) because they also have been victimized. Fraudsters have taken over their accounts to send phishing emails.
The tax professional may think they are downloading a potential client's tax information or accessing a site with the potential client's tax information. In reality, the cybercriminals are collecting the preparer's email address and password and possibly other information.
The IRS urges tax professionals and tax preparation firms to consider creating internal policies or obtain security experts' recommendations on how to address unsolicited emails seeking their services.
One tip: Never respond to or click on a link in an unsolicited email or PDF attachment from an unknown sender. As the IRS, states and the tax industry make progress in the fight against identity theft, cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated in their efforts to steal additional client information. Criminals need more data in their effort to impersonate clients and file fraudulent returns to claim refunds, and schemes like this can help in this effort.
Information source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service
Posting comments is disabled.
Trending
Collapse
There are no results that meet this criteria.
Related Topics
Collapse
Latest Articles
Collapse
Shop Low Cost Domains
Collapse
CNG Vehicle Cost Calculator
Collapse
Do You Have An Internet Presence?
Collapse
Air Quality Conditions in Independence, MO Zip Code 64050
Collapse
Air Quality Conditions in Rome, GA Zip Code 30161
Collapse
Trending
Collapse
There are no results that meet this criteria.
Categories
Collapse
Hurricane information
Collapse
Air Quality Conditions in Madison, WI Zip Code 53706
Collapse
Air Quality Conditions in Albuquerque, NM Zip Code 87121
Collapse
Shop at Low Cost Domains
Collapse
Air Quality Conditions in Harrisburg, PA Zip Code 17104
Collapse
Electric Drive Cost Calculator
Collapse