IRS Alert Issued on New E-mail Scam

The Internal Revenue Service is warning tax, payroll and human resource professionals, who use IRS e-services to beware of an email asking them to update their accounts and directing them to a fake website.

The subject line of the fraudulent email is “Security Awareness for Tax Professionals”. Another indicator of the phishing scam email is the “From” line containing “Your e-Services Team”. The email has both the IRS logo and an e-services logo that hyperlinks to a URL verified as a phishing site. Therefore, the spoofing site poses as an e-services registration page.

In efforts to exploit the current IRS efforts of strengthening the e-services authentication process, scammers are attempting to steal the e-services login credentials (usernames and passwords) or additional personal data through the phishing registration page. Besides the authentication process, scammers are also attempting to exploit any information obtained from an ongoing communication of tax professionals about their accounts.

What to do if an e-services user already clicked on the fake logo with their provided login credentials?

The next action would require to contact the e-services help desk to reset their passwords. Please note, if the same password is used for other accounts, these should also be changed as well.  It is recommended to go beyond the extra precautions, users should perform a deep security scan on their computers, re-evaluate their security controls and stay alert on any other signs of identity theft or data compromise.

Recommendation

Tax, payroll and human resource professionals should always go directly to IRS.gov to access their e-services and never click on any links provided in emails.

What’s next?

Tax, payroll and human resource professionals, who receive a suspicious email should send it as an attachment to Phishing@irs.gov and then delete it. Recipients should not click on any links.

For more information on how you can help protect yourself, go to: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/protect-your-clients-protect-yourself

Thank you for choosing Paylocity as your payroll tax partner. Should you have any questions please contact your Paylocity Account Manager.

This information is provided as a courtesy, may change and is not intended as legal or tax guidance. Employers with questions or concerns outside the scope of a payroll service provider are encouraged to seek the advice of a qualified CPA, tax attorney, or advisor.