New Phishing Scam

[Max W]

Received an email from a Jorge Chabo -

"Hi,

I need a tax preparer to get my taxes done I have been out of the country since January I just got back and I didn't file an extension either. I got your contact via LinkedIn, so I will like to know what you require to have my taxes done, I made money in Both California and Florida, attached are my Florida driver's license and also my pay/financial doc. I will like to know what additional requirements you may need.

Regards,
Jorge Chabo"
 

Checked Linkedin and there are two people with this name, one a Cpa/EA; the other with the Miami Hurricane newspaper.

There were two attachments sent, a jpg Driver's License and a W-2 pdf.  The pdf went to a link which I didn't open because it went to a domain up for sale. Didn't open the jpg as it may have code embedded.   The email came from aquinas.edu which is a college located n MI.

There was also a phone number located in Placentia CA.  Also, since it is address"Hi" with no name, makes me very suspicious that hundreds of this email was sent out.

Has anyone else encountered this?

 

[JohnH]

It's possible that I may have encountered it. But I don't know for sure because I always delete unexpected inquiries for tax preparation services as soon as I see what they are.  Nobody is going to request tax preparation out of  the blue via email. 

[Jack from Ohio]

I may have received it, but it reeks of phishing in so many obvious ways that I simply deleted it.  I never even open such blatant phishing e-mail.

[ILLMAS]

I don't when was the last time I opened an email from someone I don't know, I have over 1000 emails in my inbox unread, mabye Mr. Chabo has also contacted me.

[FDNY]

These phishing scams come in all varieties, had a few this year.  Best to just delete until the next one pops up.  I wonder if the real Jorge Chabo knows about this.

[SaraEA]

I had several of these types of emails early in the season.  I deleted them all and guess what--no one who was so interested in having me do their returns bothered to contact me again.  See how good these people are?  They can spoof caller IDs, IP addresses, "borrow" legit and relevant names and phone numbers and email addresses.  LinkedIn seems to have security problems. I often receive emails purportedly from real clients asking me to join them on LinkedIn. Just had one today, although I can't imagine what I could add to a group of land surveyors. Crooks must be able to access their personal computers from their LinkedIn accounts and then send whatever they want to everyone in their address book.

[Roberts]

Haven't encountered it but I would delete if they sent me attachments without previous contact.

 

The idea of having massive numbers of emails in my in-box - mind blown. Little too compulsive to allow that. Bothers me when I have 2-3 that aren't categorized properly.

[taxxcpa]

I gpt one of those.  The guy wanted my CPA certificate number and said someone I'd never heard of recommended me.  Then he wrote a nasty e-mail saying I was posing as a pillar of the community and I wasn't a CPA.  I told him to check with the state board.  Then he said he thought Atticus was my last name.  I finally told him I did not want him as a client

[FDNY]

3 hours ago, taxxcpa said:

I gpt one of those.  The guy wanted my CPA certificate number and said someone I'd never heard of recommended me.  Then he wrote a nasty e-mail saying I was posing as a pillar of the community and I wasn't a CPA.  I told him to check with the state board.  Then he said he thought Atticus was my last name.  I finally told him I did not want him as a client

Should have told him the Jerk Store called and they were running out of him, (George Costanza).

[joanmcq]

Atticus retired years ago!  

[taxxcpa]

I retired at the end of the 2014 tax season.

[BLACK BART]

On ‎4‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 1:07 PM, taxxcpa said:

I gpt one of those.  The guy wanted my CPA certificate number and said someone I'd never heard of recommended me.  Then he wrote a nasty e-mail saying I was posing as a pillar of the community and I wasn't a CPA.  I told him to check with the state board.  Then he said he thought Atticus was my last name.  I finally told him I did not want him as a client

Gosh! What a criminal mastermind.  Wonder how we'd defend ourselves if we were exposed as NOT being pillars of the community? Maybe if we began feverishly working at a soup kitchen, strictly attending all Little League games, send the mayor a birthday card, adopt an intersection, or right away start flogging the church door at least three times a week.  Darn; he'd have ME anyway though - I'm NOT a CPA. Now what?