The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and the tax software industry are warning tax professionals and taxpayers of last-minute phishing email scams, especially those requesting last-minute deposit changes for refunds or account updates.
Although the IRS, states and industry have enacted many safeguards against identity theft for 2017, cybercriminals are ever evolving and make use of sophisticated scams to trick people into divulging sensitive data. For example, one new scam poses as taxpayers asking their tax preparer to make a last-minute change to their refund destination, often to a prepaid debit card. The IRS urges tax preparers to verbally reconfirm information with the client should they receive last-minute email request to change an address or direct deposit account for refunds.
For more on cybersecurity and identity theft, visit Protect Your Clients, Protect Yourself.
IRS e-News for Tax Professionals Issue 2017-11