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Sensationalist headlines about cybersecurity incidents have become the norm. Sadly, so too have clever email phishing scams. A recent notice issued by the Internal Revenue Service warns taxpayers of yet another email phishing scam.
The Technology Consulting Services department at Schneider Downs describes phishing as “one of the most common social engineering methods that hackers utilize to deliver malware, compromise credentials, steal sensitive data and carry out a variety of other threats. Through phishing, attackers send email messages that appear to be legitimate, and will play on human emotions in order to force a user error.”
As discussed in IR-2019-145 the latest scam is an email prompting a taxpayer to follow a link to get information about their electronic tax return or tax account. When the link is clicked, a malicious file is downloaded to their computer. These files usually contain malware that can track every keystroke – and that can eventually give a hacker access to passwords and other important financial information.
Phishing scams have also resulted in some form of extortion, in which the scammer threatens to release evidence of a person’s embarrassing antics or criminal behavior, unless the victim agrees to pay them.
While phishing scams are common, they are becoming increasingly more sophisticated. It is difficult for the untrained eye to determine a real email from a fraudulent one. The Schneider Downs Cyber Security Team warns of several common elements that can help one to more easily identify a phishing email threat:
When it comes to data security it is better to be proactive than reactive. The first step to being proactive against cybercrime is to educate yourself, your friends, and your family about the potential threats and how to better identify them.
It is important to remember that the IRS does not contact taxpayers by email, text messages, or via other social media platforms, nor do they demand immediate payment. If they need to contact you about your personal or business tax matters, the IRS will initiate all correspondence via the postal service. If you suspect that you have been a victim of tax-related fraud or that your friends or coworkers could be vulnerable, we encourage you to reach out to Schneider Downs to see how we can help you address your risks.
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