NEW SCAM TARGETING TAX PREPARERS

[Lee B]

Apr

16

 

 

IRS Alert: New Tax Scam Targeting Tax Professionals

 Like - Click this link to Add this page to your bookmarks Share - Click this link to Share this page through email or social media Print - Click this link to Print this paApril 15, 2016

In advance of the tax deadline, the Internal Revenue Service today warned tax professionals of a new emerging scam in which cybercriminals obtain remote control of preparers’ computer systems, complete and file client tax returns and redirect refunds to thieves’ accounts.

Although the IRS knows of a handful of cases to date, this scam has potential to impact the filing of fraudulent returns in advance of the April tax deadline and is yet another example of tax professionals being targeted by identity theft criminals.

The IRS urges all tax preparers to take the following steps:

• Run a security “deep scan” to search for viruses and malware;
• Strengthen passwords for both computer access and software access; make sure your password is a minimum of 8 digits (more is better) with a mix of numbers, letters and special characters;
• Be alert for phishing scams: do not click on links or open attachments from unknown senders;
• Educate all staff members about the dangers of phishing scams in the form of emails, texts and calls;
• Review any software that your employees use to remotely access your network and/or your IT support vendor uses to remotely troubleshoot technical problems and support your systems. Remote access software is a potential target for bad actors to gain entry and take control of a machine.

I am afraid it will get nothing but worse !

[FDNY]

Thanks Lee.  I do most of the above on a  regular basis since my EFIN was compromised before the season started.  Everyone should pay special attention to what you are reporting. 

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

I saw on another website that they got into one of the CPA's computers through team viewer. I had no idea that it was running all of the time on my machine. I have it disabled now, but I have to do it every time that I reboot. I don't know how to completely stop it. She says that they changed her router and disabled the firewall, too. This just scares the crap out of me. How am I supposed to protect my business as a one person office, when huge companies and governments get hacked?

 

[Catherine]

15 minutes ago, NECPA in NEBRASKA said:

I don't know how to completely stop it.

Uninstall.  That's what I did.  I needed it for one support session; installed it just prior, uninstalled it right after.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

Catherine, I will try. I can't find it in my list of programs. It's running as a process. It must have come with Windows.

[Jack from Ohio]

49 minutes ago, NECPA in NEBRASKA said:

Catherine, I will try. I can't find it in my list of programs. It's running as a process. It must have come with Windows.

It is NOT part of Windows.

Start - Control Panel - uninstall a program.

Click on the date installed to show you the latest programs installed.  Find Team Viewer - Click uninstall.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

Thank you, Jack! I was just looking at my list of programs. I uninstalled it. What I really want to know is where it came from. It said that it was installed on 3/5/16. I don't know what it  came with. I will take a closer look after Monday.