"IRS Alerts U.S. Taxpayers About e-File Identity Theft via Phishing Attacks"

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has had to issue several warnings about the use of the IRS name or logo by scammers seeking to trick consumers into giving access to their financial data to steal their assets. Using the IRS name is a popular tactic among fraudsters because most consumers recognize the name. The latest alert issued by the IRS and Summit Partners warns U.S. taxpayers, tax preparers, and tax professionals of an emerging phishing campaign aimed at stealing Electronic Filing Identification Numbers (EFINs). The phishing emails appear to be sent from "IRS Tax E-Filing" and use the subject line, "Verifying your EFIN before e-filing." The IRS urges users not to take any of the steps outlined in the phishing email, which include emailing documents containing information that would disclose their identities and EFINs. This information can be used to impersonate a tax professional and file fraudulent returns. The emails also threaten to disable the recipient's e-Services account on the IRS website if the user does not take immediate action by clicking the link or attachment. The IRS warns that the links or attachments may install steal information or download malware onto the user's computer. Tax professionals should beware of scammers masquerading as potential clients. Compromising tax professionals can give scammers access to a trove of data consisting of EFINs, Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTINs), e-Services usernames, passwords, and more, from multiple clients. This article continues to discuss the latest tax-related phishing campaign and the importance of raising awareness about phishing scams and developing secure solutions that give consumers more control of their data.

CISO MAG reports "IRS Alerts U.S. Taxpayers About e-File Identity Theft via Phishing Attacks"