Phishing (as in “fishing for information”) scams are when fraudsters send e-mail messages to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing personal and financial information that can be used to steal the victims’ identity.
The IRS has issued several alerts about the fraudulent use of the IRS name or logo by scammers trying to gain access to consumers’ financial information to steal their identity and assets. Scam emails are designed to trick taxpayers into thinking these are official communications from the IRS or others in the tax industry, including tax software companies. These phishing schemes may seek info related to refunds, filing status, confirming personal information, ordering transcripts and verifying PIN information. Be alert to bogus emails that appear to come from your tax professional, requesting information for an IRS form.
IRS does not require Life Insurance and Annuity updates from taxpayers or a tax professional. Beware of this scam. Variations can be seen via text messages. The IRS is aware of email phishing scams that include links to bogus web sites intended to mirror the official IRS web site. These emails contain the direction “you are to update your IRS e-file immediately.” These emails are not from the IRS. The sites may ask for information used to file false tax returns or they may carry malware, which can infect computers and allow criminals to access your files or track your keystrokes to gain information.
Taken from irs.gov
If you have any questions on this topic and what you can do to make sure that you do not fall victim to these unfortunate scans please do not hesitate to give us a call here at Frankenstein Computers, we are always happy to help. You can also stop by in person at our shop with no appointment necessary, Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm.
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