Well, we all have our favorite time of the year, and for many scammers and crooks that happens to be income tax season.
Every year about this time legions of scammers start sending out fraudulent emails designed to trick and take advantage of all the tax filers.
This post explains what you need to be on the lookout for.
These emails typically attempt to steal the recipient’s banking login information and/or download malware onto their devices that then use the devices to transfer money directly from the victims’ bank accounts into the scammers’ accounts.
Unfortunately, the danger always increases in early January because so many people are eager to get their tax returns finished in order to quickly receive a refund if they are expecting one.
As usual, this year the scammers will be spoofing accounting firms, human resources departments and payroll companies operating in the U.S.
As I’ve mentioned many times before, it’s a bad idea to click the links or open the attachments in ANY email regardless of how authentic it looks unless you are 100% absolutely and positively sure that it was actually sent by a firm that you do business with.
You need to be especially wary of emails that contain forms of any kind or attached Word documents, but ANY tax-related email should be considered dangerous until proven otherwise.
Bottom line: If you receive a tax-related email that you believe to be genuine, don’t click any links or open any attachments until you have called the company at their official phone number or contacted them via their real website to verify that the email is legit.
The stakes will be higher than ever this year because the scammers are getting so much better at their malicious activities. Don’t allow yourself to become a victim!
Bonus tip: Need to make paystubs? Check out paystub maker online.