In an alert sent to tax professionals on Nov. 24, the IRS said an email phishing scam is attempting to capture IRS e-Services usernames and passwords.
The alert to practitioners reads: “It has come to our attention that an email is being issued to tax preparers asking them to update their e-Services information. This email WAS NOT generated by e-Services.
“The links provided in the email to access e-Services appear to be a phishing scam to capture e-Services usernames and passwords.
“If you receive an email like this, do not click on the links or take any other action. There is no need to call us. Just disregard the email.”
A similar phishing scam was brought to light by the IRS last February, in which bogus emails were sent to practitioners asking them to update their e-Services portal information and Electronic Filing Identification Numbers.
“I urge taxpayers to be wary of clicking on strange emails and websites,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said in a written statement on Feb. 18. “They may be scams to steal your personal information.”
Phishing is a scam typically carried out with the help of unsolicited email or a fake website that poses as a legitimate site to lure in potential victims and prompt them to provide personal and financial information, according to the IRS. The criminal then uses this information to commit identity theft or financial theft.
Phishing was among the IRS’s “Dirty Dozen” tax scams for 2015.
If you receive an unsolicited email that appears to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, such as the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, report it by sending it to [email protected].
Related article:
Presenting the IRS Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2015: Part 1