The prevalence of tax fraud in the digital age has increased exponentially with businesses and individuals alike falling prey to the attacks of savvy hackers. What we are seeing is that these attacks are not advanced at all—they actually use fairly basic tactics. So in the midst of this tax season, here are five ways to avoid becoming the next victim of tax fraud.
1. Ignore Emails From the IRS
The IRS does not communicate via email. It will never send you a request via email, will never ask you for follow-up via email, and will never ask you for personal information via email. If you get an email from anyone at IRS.gov, it is spam, phishing, or a hacker—abort the mission. Do not click on the link; do not open the attachment. (Do not pass go; do not collect $200!)
So many people make this mistake because, in the year 2022, one might assume the IRS would be using digital communication. The good news is that the IRS recognizes how easily email can be spoofed, so it has decided as an entity to never communicate with anyone via email. The bad news is that the IRS doesn’t really tell anybody that. So first and foremost, any time you receive an email communication that says it’s from the IRS, ignore it. It’s always going to be a scam.
2. Use Two-Factor Authentication When Setting Up Your Accounts
I know people who log in once a year to file their taxes, and they have used the same password for four years. But these hackers have password databases, so if you’ve used your…
