Phishing schemes are once again on the Internal Revenue Service’s list of scams to watch out for, during this upcoming tax season. The IRS is releasing its annual “Dirty Dozen” tax scam list.
They say a big spike in phishing and malware was seen during last year’s filing season, and scammers have been targeting payroll and human resources professionals in recent weeks. According to the IRS, the scam emails appear to be from a person or organization the taxpayer trusts. They may also create phony websites to fool people into giving money, passwords, Social Security numbers, or other information.
The IRS reminds taxpayers that it generally does not initiate contact by email to request personal or financial information. IRS officials say they’re working with the Department of Justice to shut down scams and prosecute those responsible.
