Tax season 2023: IRS warns tax professionals of ‘spearphishing’ email scams
Asher Notheis
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The IRS has issued another warning about scams related to filing taxes, this time directed at tax professionals regarding spearphishing emails.
Both tax professionals and businesses should be on alert for any emails that appear to be from a client asking for W-2 information. The goal of these spearphishing emails is to receive fraudulent tax refunds by stealing client data, tax software preparation credentials, and even tax preparer identities, the IRS warned Wednesday.
TAX SEASON 2023: IRS CAUTIONS AGAINST TAKING TAX FILING ADVICE FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
“It’s vitally important for tax professionals and businesses to maintain a strong defense against cyberattacks like spearphishing,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said. “The information these businesses have on their systems is extremely valuable to an identity thief looking to steal identities and file fraudulent tax returns. There are simple steps that tax pros and businesses can take to avoid being fooled by these common schemes, including extra caution when opening emails, clicking on links, or sharing sensitive client data. Extra care can go a long way to protect tax professionals and businesses as well as their clients.”
The warning to tax professionals is because spearphishing has a greater potential to cause damage if the tax preparer suffers a data breach. Cybercriminals who are trying to access a client’s tax-related information can increase the number of victims involved in the crime.
If a tax professional does encounter a spearphishing email, he or she should never click on any suspicious links in the email and always double-check the requests made in the email. Additionally, tax professionals should be on alert for these types of emails throughout the year, not just during tax season.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Other scams the IRS has recently released warnings about include taxpayers avoiding advice on social media on how to file taxes and anyone offering help to set up an online IRS account. These warnings are a part of the IRS’s “Dirty Dozen” series, which lists 12 scams that exist amid tax season.
Additional information on spearphishing scams can be found on the IRS’s website.