Stay Safe Essential Tips to Protect Your Finances
The IRS has issued a warning to tax preparers and other professionals in the tax sector. This alert stems from the emergence of “new and evolving” scams that, in some instances, utilize artificial intelligence to steal information from tax professionals and taxpayers.
The IRS has identified that these new scams involve criminals impersonating either new clients or the IRS itself. They employ phone calls and text messages as tools to access sensitive data. According to IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, scammers have refined their tactics, specifically targeting tax professionals to gather valuable information that enables them to file seemingly legitimate tax returns.
Scammers Posing as New Clients or the IRS
“Tax professionals must be vigilant about extremely clever scams that might appear as new business opportunities or even official communications from the IRS,” Werfel stated. “We continue to see these professionals being inundated with these fraud attempts, and they cannot afford to let their guard down.”
One particularly concerning method is known as the “new client” scheme. In this scenario, identity thieves pose as regular individuals looking to hire a tax preparer. They send emails with links that purportedly provide access to tax-related documents. However, these links either harvest the preparer’s login credentials or install malware on their computers, allowing scammers to…
