NORFOLK, Va. – It’s not only the Internal Revenue Service that wants your information. Cybercriminals are on the other side of the screen hoping you send it to them as well.
Phishing is a common scam during tax season.
“Phishing scams are anything that's done in the cyber world, through email, text messaging, [and] sometimes telephone,” said Ceilidhe Brown-Owens, a marketing manager with the Better Business Bureau.
As Brown-Owens mentioned, cybercriminals use technology to target people.
Their emails will look like they’re coming from a reputable organization, such as the IRS, and convince people to take an action that they don’t really need to be taking.
"There are people that they may have started a business, and it may have folded or whatnot and [the scammer] will say, ‘Oh, you owe back taxes. And if you don't pay us, you'll go to prison, or you'll be fined,’” Brown-Owens said.
However, that is not the case at all.
The IRS will not send emails about your taxes or call/text your phone. When they do need to reach you, the first contact is done through the mail, yet people still fall for it.
In fact, the Federal Trade Commission said that imposter scams are the second highest reported.
So, this tax season be weary if:
- You don’t know who an email is coming from
- You’re being asked to open or download unusual attachments
- Someone is putting pressure on you and asking you to act quickly
“Unfortunately, if you do become victim of, you know, fraud or identity [theft], report it as soon as possible,” Brown-Owens said.
There are several ways you can report it:
- You can send an email to the IRS AT phishing@irs.gov.
- You can forward phishing emails to the Federal Trade Commission at reportphishing@apwg.org
- You can file a complaint with the BBB’s scam tracker
