Your office files and computers are chock full of sensitive personal and financial data about your clients, from Social Security numbers (SSNs) to banking information. Consequently, tax professionals are increasingly being targeted by identity thieves. For example, the IRS recently warned tax pros of scam emails purporting to come from their software providers that ask for user names and passwords to \u201cunlock\u201d their tax preparation software. Tax pros who respond are actually giving the information to cybercriminals who use the credentials to access the preparer\u2019s account and steal client information [IR-2017-39]. Other phishing scams have involved cybercriminals posing as the IRS or other entities, or even as one of your clients.<\/p>\n
Obviously, learning to identify and avoid these kinds of phishing expeditions is imperative to protecting your clients’ data and giving you and them peace of mind. There are steps you can take to help protect your clients’ data.<\/p>\n
Secure Your Office<\/strong><\/p>\n Make sure all physical and virtual client files are protected from unauthorized access. For example:<\/p>\n