Written by: Karen Reed, EA
There’s a new wave of “phishing” scams involving phony emails from tax software companies such as TurboTax. Beware of emails prompting you to confirm your invoice or an order for tax software. Even if you are a customer of the software provider, do not respond, do not click any links, do not download files, and do not provide personal financial information via an email.
The newest scam involves emails that purport to confirm or thank recipients for purchasing software and include links to download an invoice, complete order information, and reorder checks. Clicking the links could result in a virus transferring to your computer, or you could be taken to a phony website prompting you to provide personal financial information.
Phishing scammers are known for using the information they receive from unsuspecting taxpayers to empty bank accounts, run up credit card charges, and apply for loans, services and other benefits in the scammed individual’s name. Often, the perpetrators perform these activities from locations overseas.
If you receive an email message that you suspect is a phishing email, forward it to the software company’s security center right away. The email address for TurboTax is spoof@intuit.com.
This information is being provided to the taxpayer as required by the Internal Revenue Service and follows the guidelines for best practices for tax advisors per Circular 230 §10.33(a)(1-4), and §10.35(b)(2),(8), and (10). This written statement may be considered to be a “covered opinion” as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. This statement(s), along with subsequent correspondence, is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by the taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding lawful penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer by the Internal Revenue Service. The principal purpose of any stated tax advice included here has as its purpose to claim tax benefits in a manner consistent with the statutes and Congressional intent.
