IRS cautions about ongoing tax-related phishing frauds

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued an alert for taxpayers about online phishing scams which are ongoing resulting in identity theft and fraud involving matters of tax filings. The alert, which has been issued this week, comes along with release of the "Dirty Dozen" catalog of IRS delineating the different tax scams. The catalog since its beginning highlights fundamental although timeless techniques, for example, impersonated phone calls, however, such techniques have since evolved and become current scams, for instance, phishing.

According to IRS, the tax season is accompanied with a prominent rise within the said phishing frauds, wherein a con artist tries stealing information through misrepresentation of himself via text messages, e-mail, social media, websites etc.

Chuck Rettig Commissioner at IRS says taxpayers require being watchful for the tax-related phishing campaigns that through disguise and trick appear as though it is the IRS. So people should be vigilant for e-mails as well as other scams impersonating IRS, pledging some huge refund else threatening citizens personally. They shouldn't follow web-links or view attachments within suspicious looking e-mails. This way taxpayers can save themselves from getting victimized with phishing else other ordinary frauds. According to IRS, following theft of personal data as well as submitting fake tax papers, cyber-criminals utilize the victimized taxpayers' bank A/Cs for direct depositing of tax reimbursements. The thugs thereafter employ different ruses for reclaiming the tax
reimbursements from the tax paying citizens. False claims also follow about representing the IRS or some collection agency, states IRS. www.fedscoop.com posted this, March 6, 2019.

Another alert from IRS is about variations in direct deposits for frauds related to BES/BEC that occurred during December 2018. The agency is still getting complaints about direct deposit frauds at phishing@irs.gov. It's advised that the BES/BEC and Direct Deposit variation e-mails be sent to IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center). Meanwhile, Form W-2 fraudulent e-mails should get forwarded to phishing@irs.gov (Subject:W-2 Scam).

Moreover, tax preparers too require being vigilant of unsolicited electronic mails arriving from their business/personal contacts or customers. These are likely to have malware designed for garnering tax details from victims' computers and then exfiltrating the same.

» SPAMfighter News - 3/11/2019