Tax professionals should beware of an email scam impersonating tax software providers and attempting to steal usernames and passwords. The scammers are taking advantage of the time of year when many software providers issue software upgrades and when tax professionals are working to meet the October 15 deadline for extension filers.
The subject line for the fraudulent email is “Software Support Update” and highlights an “Important Software System Upgrade.” The email thanks recipients for continuing to trust the software provider to serve their tax preparation needs and mimics the software providers’ email templates. The e-mail informs the recipients that due to a recent software upgrade, the preparer must revalidate their login credentials and provides a link to a fictitious website that mirrors the software provider’s actual login page. However, instead of upgrading software, the tax professionals are providing their information to cybercriminals who use the stolen credentials to access the preparers’ accounts and steal client information. The IRS reminds tax professionals that software providers do not embed links into emails asking them to validate passwords and urge tax professionals and taxpayers to never open a link or an attachment from a suspicious email.
Contact Wilson Tax Law Group, APLC at 949.397.2292 if you or your client may be a victim of identify theft.
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