IRA Issues Warning About Email Scam

April 6, 2021. By Matthew Okaty:

As you may be aware, a wide scale impersonation email scam has been brought to the attention of the IRS. The scam is targeted toward the staff and students within academic systems; mainly those with the “.edu” email addresses. This includes medical establishments with university connections such as teaching hospitals. The phishing attempt cleverly lures readers by falsely stating the provided link will hold important tax filing information.  The fraudulent website linked then requests highly sensitive information such as social security number, electronic filing PIN, etc.  With tax season bringing with it a heightened risk of cybercrime, we urge you to be extra cautious when clicking links within any emails.  Inquiries about your tax filing should be conducted directly through your CPA or IRS.gov for your security, and questions regarding refund status can be addressed at IRS.gov/refunds. 

If you are a Centerpoint client and suspect you have fallen victim to an act of identity theft or cybercrime, we are here to assist and suggest that you call us right away to walk through next steps. You may also find the following article on our website to be helpful: Identity Theft: Survival Kit Essentials. In addition to helpful hints regarding what to do if fraud is suspected, the article contains prevention tips as well which can serve as discussion starters for family conversations about protecting your identity. With increase volume of remote work and learning, such precautions have certainly become a family matter. 

We hope that you and your inboxes remain safe through this extended tax season, and please feel free to reach out with any questions. We are here. For more information on the scam listed above, please visit the IRS website here:  https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-warns-university-students-and-staff-of-impersonation-email-scam.