It is pretty alarming to get a text message from the “IRS” claiming to be filing a lawsuit against you for suspicious activity, and the only way to stop your arrest warrant is by sending your personal information right away. But you should never do this. In late September, the Internal Revenue Service warned the public of an increase in IRS-themed “smishing” with the intent of stealing your personal and financial information. The IRS has officially identified thousands of these fraudulent original domains just this year, with cases in the last few weeks increasing exponentially.
“In recent months, the IRS has reported multiple large-scale smishing campaigns that have delivered thousands—and even hundreds of thousands—of IRS-themed messages in hours or a few days, far exceeding previous levels of activity,” IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said in a press release last month.
What are “smishing scams”?
Smishing is the fraudulent practice of targeting victims through text messages using a reputable company or organization name with the intent of tricking them into giving personal information away.
Some more advanced techniques send you an alphanumeric “verification code” to your phone and ask to recite or send it back to them over text or over the phone. Once the scammers have that code, they have full access to your information and can access accounts under your name. Never send verification codes back to unverified sources.
