IRS urges "constant vigilance" against this new scam

The agency warns that this can happen outside the tax season.


Fortunately, the tax season is well behind us. Returns have been submitted and reimbursements have been received, allowing most of us to divert our attention from theInternal Revenue Service (IRS) for the rest of 2022. But the crooks do not go to hibernation at the end of the tax seasons. Unfortunately, crooks are always looking for new ways to capitalize on sensitive information channeled by IRS, which is why the agency has just issued an alert on a new program targeting the Americans at the moment. Read the rest to discover what IRS says requires "constant vigilance".

Read this then:IRS has just issued this new major warning to all Americans.

The IRS regularly warns us scams.

man dialing on smartphone
Whisper

It was hardly the first time that the IRS had to ring the alarm on the crooks trying to enjoy taxpayers. In February, the agency warned that there had recently been one "Increase in text messages"In sending to smartphones that usurpage the identity of the IRS. These messages generally referred to cocovated or recovery payments, and tried to obtain private information from recipients.

In April, the IRS urged taxpayers to create an identity protective pin forprotect yourself against thieves Use the social security numbers of others to produce income tax declarations and claim fraudulent yields. The fiscal identification flight remains a problem that everyone must take seriously, reiterated the agency.

Now the IRS has a warning concerning a new scam that could reach you outside the tax season.

Watch out for this evolving tax scam.

Thoughtful middle aged handsome businessman in shirt working on laptop computer in office. Man working in office
istock

On July 26, the IRSsent a press release To raise awareness designed “evolving scams” ​​designed to steal taxpayers data. The agency has teamed up with software industry representatives, tax preparation companies, tax financial products and state tax administratorsCreate the Safety Summit, a working group dedicated to the fight against identity theft and fraud to "protect taxpayers from the country".

According to the IRS, workers at the safety summit began to see more and more cases of tax professionals victims of emails in which crooks represent as potential customers. "The criminals then encourage practitioners to open electronic links or attachments that infect computer systems with the potential to steal information on customers," said the agency in its new alert.

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This scam tends to target those who work with specific professionals.

Consultant financial advisor specialist dealing with mature couple clients
istock

The IRS said that crooks "often use spear phishing to target tax professionals", which is a specific type of con where criminals take the time to identify certain victims and create fraudulent messages that are more attractive than general phishing emails. A new major spear phishing body is the "recurrent and very successful" scam in which criminals present as potential customers and send several emails with tax professionals before sending a corrupt attachment or An integrated URL which is disguised as tax information.AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

"Once the professional tax clicks on the integrated URL and / or opens the attachment, malicious software secretly downloads to their computers, giving thieves access to customer account words or remote access to computers themselves, "said the IRS.

According to the agency, the managers note more cases where this target lance phishing tactic a specific group: professionals or smaller tax companies compared to large companies. "This scam has gained energy because many tax professionals worked remotely and communicated with customers by e-mail compared to the person or by phone due to the pandemic," said the IRS.

The IRS requests a "constant vigilance" against this scam.

woman filing taxes at a desk
Whisper

In a press release, the IRS commissionerChuck Rettig Confirmed that identity theft crooks "are continuously trying new programs" to steal personal and financial information to the Americans through their tax professionals. "We continue to see an email dam aimed at tax professionals who try to encourage them to provide precious access to identity thieves," he said. "Constant vigilance is necessary, not only during the tax season but all year round."

The commissioner said that this "constant vigilance" includes a number of "invaluable recommendations" for all tax professionals - both large and small - to protect their customers. This includes advising financial workers to keep antivirus software updated automatically, regularly save files and use multi-factory authentication. "More specifically, the summit partners urge people using cloud-based platforms to use multi-factor options such as the phone, text or tokens. Says, noting that it is the responsibility of a Revenue preparer to secure his network to protect taxpayers.


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