Phishing for Tax Pros

My e-mail inbox is on every spammer’s list and I’ve seen every phishing variation promising tax refunds or special tax credits but I’ve not seen a phishing this targeted before.

It came from an individual who needed tax help and on first reading it looked legitimate enough that I looked at my client list to see if she had been a client. The text of the e-mail was:

Hi, trish

We got today a letter from tax deaprtment they writing that we have not paid all needed taxes.
You must urgent clear this shit other way they are freeze our bank acocunts.

I have scanned the letter for you, you will find it in attach. Clear this siutation and write me back.

But once I looked at the attachment, concerns started to come out. First, the attachment was zipped. I don’t think I’ve ever received a zipped attachment from an individual. I know I’ve never sent one. Then the really bad grammar and spelling got my attention. So, I put the e-mail to the side to see if I would get another one. Let’s face it, phishing comes in groups. Less than an hour later, I had a second e-mail with the same message but this one from LinkedIn. Phishing.

I don’t know what will happen if I open the zipped file but I‘m not going to try it. So tax pros watch out, with the IRS having to give our demographic info out as part of the Freedom of Information Act, I think we’ll be seeing more targeted phishing and spams.

McIntire Tax Center - on Facebook - on Google+ - or Twitter @ mactax.