Digital-first lifestyle opens consumers to potential risks during tax season

2021-03-08 04:30

Consumers have faced a lot of change over the past year with the shift to a digital-first lifestyle, and tax season with increasing risks is no exception.

According to the IRS, Criminal Investigation identified $2.3 billion in tax fraud schemes during FY2020.

Attckers target tax payers every year, but the increase in online filings due to COVID-19 in 2020 presented an even greater opportunity, as scams related to coronavirus tax relief such as Economic Impact Payments, have now earned a spot on the IRS "Dirty Dozen" tax scam list.

Additional tax scams can be harder to spot, such as when a hacker secures someone else's Social Security number and begins exploiting this sensitive information on the dark web and facilitating fraudulent tax returns.

Phishing is a common tactic hackers leverage during tax season, so double-check legitimacy of any unfamiliar or remotely suspicious emails.

Consider a holistic security solution to give you peace of mind that your identity and personal information are safeguarded this tax season, either if you are handling on your own online or communicating virtually with your tax advisor.

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