McAfee: Hackers Targeting Digitally Connected Consumers This Tax Season
02 Marzo 2021 - 11:01PM
Business Wire
Consumers’ Digital-First Lifestyle Opens Them
to Potential Risks
Consumers have faced a lot of change over the past year with the
shift to a digital-first lifestyle, and tax season is no exception.
McAfee’s 2021 Consumer Security Mindset study revealed that while
roughly 2 out of 3 Americans (63%) plan to do their taxes online in
2021, 12% of Americans will be doing them online for the first
time. With the increase in activities online, consumers are
potentially exposed to more digital risks and threats, and it is
crucial that they understand how to stay safe online.
According to the IRS, Criminal Investigation identified $2.3
billion in tax fraud schemes during FY2020. Hackers 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. Also
relatively new to the list are social media attacks – thanks to the
rapid development and adoption of social media platforms in recent
years. Social media attacks involve scammers harvesting information
from social media profiles, then using that data to impersonate
someone you know to gain access to accounts, funds and more.
Other common attacks include email phishing attacks, phone calls
posing as IRS agents, and robocalls that threaten jail time. Taking
advantage of the current environment, many phishing attacks are now
leveraging keywords such as "coronavirus," "COVID-19" and
"stimulus.” Additional tax scams can be harder to spot, such as
when a hacker secures someone else’s Social Security number (SSN)
and begins exploiting this sensitive information on the dark web
and facilitating fraudulent tax returns. The IRS has warned about
scams related to SSN, where scammers claim to be able to suspend or
cancel the victim’s SSN, hoping that fear will get consumers to
return robocall voicemails.
Consumers can do their part this tax season to protect their
personal information and keep their finances secure:
- Beware of phishing attempts. Phishing is a common tactic
hackers leverage during tax season, so double-check legitimacy of
any unfamiliar or remotely suspicious emails. Be wary of strange
file attachment names and remember that the Office of Social
Security or IRS will not email taxpayers.
- File before a scammer does it for you. The more prompt
you are to file, the less likely your data will be raked in by a
fraudster.
- Watch out for spoofed websites. Scammers have extremely
sophisticated tools that help disguise phony web addresses for DIY
tax software, such as stolen company logos and site designs. Be
sure to type the URL directly into the address bar of your browser
instead of following a link from an email or internet search.
- Make social media profiles private. To prevent social
media scams, adjust your account settings such that only friends
and family can see them. Additionally, reduce your overall digital
footprint to make yourself safer from these types of
cybercrimes.
- Consider a holistic security solution, such as McAfee
Total Protection, 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.
About McAfee
McAfee Corp. (Nasdaq: MCFE) is a leader in personal security for
consumers. Focused on protecting people, not just devices, McAfee
consumer solutions adapt to users’ needs in an always online world,
empowering them to live securely through integrated, intuitive
solutions that protects their families and communities with the
right security at the right moment. For more information, please
visit https://www.mcafee.com/consumer.
McAfee technologies’ features and benefits depend on system
configuration and may require enabled hardware, software, or
service activation. No computer system can be absolutely secure.
McAfee® and the McAfee logo are trademarks of McAfee, LLC or its
subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other marks
and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210302005362/en/
Ashley Dolezal, McAfee media@mcafee.com
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