Tax scammers are taking advantage of late filers by impersonating the IRS
Those emails from the IRS could be bogus
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Criminals are taking advantage of people in the US who are stillfiling their taxesduring the official extension period granted by the IRS, which ends on May 17.
According to new data compiled by Check Point Research,tax scamsusing the subject line ‘IRS Documentation Policies Changes’ are being sent to individuals in a new tax theft wave.
Posing as a legitimate communication from the IRS, the scammers are enticingtax filersto inadvertently download malware that can lead to them stealing financial details, account credentials and other personally identifiable information.
CPR’s findings indicate that there has been an 18% increase in the average weekly amount of tax-relatedcyber attacksso far this year, compared to the last three months of 2020.
Trickbot malware
The company revealed two examples of the tactics being used by the cybercriminals, who subsequently try to infect tax filers computers withmalwarecalled Trickbot. This is a banking Trojan that can capture financial details, crucial account information and other personal data, as well as spread it farther afield within a network. The move can also lead to additionalransomwareattacks.
Individuals using the extended deadline forfiling their taxesshould remain vigilant and CPR has issued its own common sense guidance for anyone who might think they’ve become a target for the scammers. Consumers should keep an eye out for any tell-tale misspellings; always a sure sign of a rogue email. Similarly, never click on attachments included in an email unless it’s from a bona fide, trusted source.
Be sure to check theemail signaturetoo for any irregularities. People should also beware of urgent or threatening language used in any communication and ignore claims that their ‘account has been suspended’, as well as giving short thrift to an ‘urgent payment request’.
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“We’ve been studying tax scams for the past six months or so,” commented Ekram Ahmed, from Check Point. “The numbers of tax-related scams have increased significantly, week after week. People who are filing in the days during this extended period should know that scammers are only doubling-down.”
“Lately, IRS impersonations are a go-to strategy for scammers. Think twice before opening up any attachments that are allegedly from the ‘IRS’. Watch for misspellings, beware of urgent or threatening emails, and constantly have your guard up in the days leading up to May 17 and after.”
Rob Clymo has been a tech journalist for more years than he can actually remember, having started out in the wacky world of print magazines before discovering the power of the internet. Since he’s been all-digital he has run the Innovation channel during a few years at Microsoft as well as turning out regular news, reviews, features and other content for the likes of TechRadar, TechRadar Pro, Tom’s Guide, Fit&Well, Gizmodo, Shortlist, Automotive Interiors World, Automotive Testing Technology International, Future of Transportation and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology International. In the rare moments he’s not working he’s usually out and about on one of numerous e-bikes in his collection.
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