With the holiday season in full swing, the shopping frenzy has begun. Millions of people do their shopping online, especially this time of year. Because of that, there is a surge of phishing attacks. So, the IRS has put out several warnings over the last week about email phishing scams and cybercriminals stealing information, passwords, and identities. It’s so prevalent this time of year that they named last week,
“National Tax Security Awareness Week” Dec. 3 -7th.
What can you do about it? Here are some tips…
- Don’t provide any personal information or open any attachments in an email, if you don’t know the recipient. Even if it looks like it is from a trusted source, proceed with caution.
- Watch for misspelled words and bad grammar. That may be a sign someone is phishing.
- Knowledge is key. Knowing that it is happening, keeps you aware. The IRS will never call you or email you demanding information/payment.
- Use strong passwords to protect your accounts. The longer the password, the better.
For more information, check out the IRS Newsroom at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/news-releases-for-current-month