TechTalk_4th

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Tax season is prime time for online scams. Cybercriminals are continuously
looking to lift your personal information to cash in on a refund request and/or steal
your identity. The problem is rampant: in 2015, the Federal Trade Commission
received close to half a million complaints, and nearly half (45 percent) were tax
fraud-related. Cyber thieves are crafty: they can break into your account or device
and literally steal your online life – as well as your tax refund.
• K e e p a l l m a c h i n e s c l e a n : Having updated software on all devices that connect to the Internet is
critical. This includes security software, web browsers and operating systems for PCs and your mobile
devices. Having current software is a strong defense against viruses and malware that can steal login
credentials or potentially use your computer to generate spam.
• G e t t w o s t e p s a h e a d : Turn on two-step authentication – also known as two-step verification or
multi-factor authentication – on accounts. Many popular email services and financial institutions offer this
key security step for free, but you must opt in to turn it on.
• M a k e b e t t e r p a s s w o r d s : If your passwords are too short or easy to guess, it’s like giving a cyber thief
your banking PIN. Longer passwords and those that combine capital and lowercase letters with
numbers and symbols provide better protection.
S tay C y b e r S a f e – F o l l o w T h e s e Ta x S e a s o n T i p s
The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) has some easy-to-use STOP. THINK. CONNECT. tips that will help
protect you against fraudster tricks.
S tay S a f e f r o m
C y b e r c r i m e d u r i n g
Ta x T i m e
Don ’ t B e c ome a V i c t i m : Wat ch O u t f o r Tax S e a s on T r i c ks
• P h i s h i n g s c a m s : Cybercriminals will try to get you to do something, like click on a link or respond to
an email, so they can steal your personal information. Watch out for unsolicited emails, texts, social media
posts or fake websites that may lure you in and prompt you to share valuable personal and financial
information. Armed with this information, online thieves can pilfer funds and/or commit identity theft. And
opening malicious links or attachments can cause malware ‒ viruses, spyware and other unwanted software
that gets installed on your computer or mobile device without your consent – to infect your computer files.
• I m p o s t e r s c l a i m i n g t o b e I n t e r n a l R e v e n u e S e r v i c e ( I R S ) a g e n t s : The IRS will never email or
call you demanding immediate payment without having first mailed a bill – nor will they ask for a credit or
debit card number via email or phone.
• Ta x p r e p a r e r f r a u d : The overwhelming majority of tax preparers provide honest services, but some
unscrupulous individuals may target unsuspecting taxpayers and the result can be refund fraud and/or
identity theft. The IRS reminds anyone filing a tax return, that the preparer must sign it with their preparer
tax identification number.
Online con artists will tempt you to take action in a variety of ways. Beware of the following:
R e m i n d e r f r o m N C S A
“Cybercriminals can’t wait for tax season. The flood of personal and financial data that’s available online during
this time of the year is a tremendous target. Everyone is filing their taxes, deadlines are looming and the bad
guys are doing everything they can to take full advantage of the opportunity,” said Michael Kaiser, NCSA’s
executive director. “Hackers are masters of social engineering. So during timeframes when there is increased
potential to have your most personal data exposed, it’s critically important to take steps to use the Internet
safely and more securely. Remember that Personal Information Is Like Money. Value It. Protect It. Practicing good
cybersecurity ‒ when preparing your tax returns and all year-round ‒ empowers Internet users to reap the
benefits of connectivity with greater confidence.”
R e s o u r c e s t o H e l p Y o u S tay S a f e t h i s Ta x S e a s o n
• Here’s a comprehensive listing of how to install two-step authentication on a variety of
popular platforms:
• Better Business Bureau shares 6 Tips for Trusting Your Tax Preparer, visit to learn more.
• Visit for consumer-focused information about
tax-related identity theft.
• can help you report and recover from identity theft.
• If you are a victim of identity theft, the Identity Theft Resource Center ) can offer advice
tailored to your specific issue, a step-by-step plan and the necessary documents and letters you will need
to implement your plan.
• The Internal Revenue Service offers fool-proof tips for filing taxes online; visit to learn more.
• Tax time is open season for ID thieves and IRS impersonators. Learn more at
F o l l o w u s o n l i n e a n d o n s o c i a l m e d i a
STAYSAFEONL INE .ORG
@STAYSAFEONL INE
/STAYSAFEONL INE
@STOPTHNKCONNECT
/STOPTHINKCONNECT
STOPTHINKCONNECT
• G e t s av v y a b o u t W i - F i h o t s p o t s : Public wireless networks are not secure.
Cybercriminals can potentially intercept Internet connections while you are filing highly personal information
on public WiFi.
• Wh e n i n d o u b t, t h r o w i t o u t : Links in email are often the way bad guys get access to your
personal information. If it looks weird, even if you know the source, it’s best to delete.
• T h i n k b e f o r e y o u r a c t : Be leery of communications that implore you to act immediately – especially if
you are told you owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly.
• F i l e y o u r ta x f o r m s o n s e c u r e h t t p s s i t e s o n ly.
• A s k i f y o u r ta x p r e p a r at i o n s e r v i c e h a s c h e c k e d f o r m a lwa r e i s s u e s .
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