Scammers’ latest target: Tax pros’ passwords

The Internal Revenue Service, along with state tax agencies and the tax industry, is warning tax professionals of a new phishing e-mail scam that’s attempting to steal their usernames and passwords.

In the scam, cybercriminals impersonate tax software providers in an e-mail with the subject line “Software Support Update” that claims to offer an “Important Software System Upgrade.”

The e-mails mimic real software providers’ e-mail templates, and says that the recipient must revalidate their login credentials for a software upgrade via a link that leads to a fictitious Web site that looks like the software provider’s real login page.

Phishing emails survey chart

As part of the warning, the IRS and its partners noted that software providers do not embed links in e-mails asking users to validate passwords.

They are also offering other cybersecurity tips for tax pros at Protect Your Clients, Protect Yourself.

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Tax fraud Cyber attacks Cyber security IRS
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