Written by Scott Stitts, Vice President & Chief Information Officer

To keep your personal and professional data safe, you need to increase your cybersecurity, especially during tax season. There are people who use this time as an opportunity to prey on unsuspecting taxpayers. Their goal is to steal your financial and confidential information to commit fraud and steal your identity. These people are called cybercriminals.

Phishing Scams

Billions of phishing scams are sent out by cybercriminals every day – and that is just from email alone. Phishing scams are deceptive attempts to gain sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, credit card details, and banking information by pretending to be a trustworthy source. To avoid falling victim to a cyber-attack, never click on links or download attachments from suspicious emails or messages, and do not respond to them.

If you receive a suspicious message through email, text or one of your social media channels, saying that you owe money, or you are getting a hefty tax return, it is bait used by cybercriminals to try and lure you in and phish your information. Block the entity who sent the fake message and then report them to the IRS. To do this, visit,  www.irs.gov/privacy-disclosure/report-phishing. 

Preventing Threats & Phishing

Change your passwords and make them difficult to guess. Updating your passwords regularly, and using uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols make it more challenging for scammers to hack into your personal and social media accounts.

Keep your computer and software up to date. Older software and operating systems are more prone to cyber-attacks. Whenever a software update becomes available, install it as soon as possible. Updates not only provide new features, but they increase security, too. 

Use a secure online tax preparation and filing service. Reputable tax preparation services use encryption to protect sensitive data, such as social security numbers, tax identification numbers, and bank account information, from unauthorized access. It is crucial to research and verify the legitimacy of any tax service you plan to use. Scammers often create fake tax preparation websites to try and trick taxpayers.

Protecting Yourself

Cybercriminals are starting to master the art of manipulation. Their messages to unsuspecting victims have become increasingly elaborate and convincing. It is important to note that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers through email, text messages or social media, to request personal or financial information. To learn more, visit www.irs.gov. 

Protecting your financial information during tax season is crucial. Scammers are always looking for new and creative ways to steal your information, and tax season is no exception. By being cautious of phishing scams, keeping your software up-to-date, and using verified tax preparation services, you can protect yourself and your confidential information from cybercriminals before they attempt to send you tax-related cyber threats.