The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as part of the Security Summit, is urging tax professionals to stay vigilant with regard to a variety of e-mail scams and “spear phishing” that aim to steal personal information about clients and companies. Between January and May 2017, some 177 tax professionals or firms reported data thefts involving thousands of clients’ information.
“We’ve been warning tax professionals that they are increasingly the targets of national and international cybercriminal rings. These syndicates are well-funded, knowledgeable and creative. It’s going to take all of us working together to combat these identity thieves,” said John Koskinen, IRS Commissioner. “But doing nothing or making a minimal effort is no longer an option. Anyone who handles taxpayer information has a legal responsibility to protect it.”
The Security Summit has launched a series called “Protect Your Clients, Protect Yourself” to provide information about how to avoid data breaches in your tax practice. To learn more, click here.