The IRS on July 11 reminded car dealers and sellers to be aware of evolving phishing and smishing scams that could impact day-to-day operations of the business.
Last month, CDK Global, a key supplier of specialized software systems for vehicle sales and service, fell victim to a massive ransomware cyberattack. The programs many car dealers use to manage inventory, chalk up sales, register new vehicles, and perform other essential tasks were abruptly halted.
Hackers affiliated with a Russia-based criminal operation called BlackSuit reportedly took over CDK’s systems and demanded tens of millions of dollars to relinquish control. The cyberattack went on for several days before CDK could even start to restore its service.
As this was happening, car dealers had to scramble, resorting to paper and pen to record vehicle orders by hand and relying on workarounds for everything from insurance and financing to service and repairs. The disruption resulted in long delays and lost orders.
In light of the recent ransomware attack, the IRS is warning car dealerships and their employees to remain vigilant against these attacks. Fraudsters and identity thieves attempt to trick the recipient into clicking a suspicious link, filling out personal and financial information, or downloading a malware file onto their computer.
“Scammers are relentless in their attempts to obtain sensitive financial and personal information, and impersonating the IRS remains a favorite tactic,”…
