The New York State Department of
Taxation and Finance today joined the IRS to warn tax preparers of the
potential security risks posed by scammers. This joint effort is aimed at
preventing preparers and their clients from being targeted and victimized by
cybercriminals.
Con artists will seek out any opening or
security flaw to poach sensitive client data—social security numbers, business
records, and income information included—from unsuspecting tax professionals.
“Preventing cybercrimes is an ongoing
battle because the criminals adapt their tactics as the technology improves,”
said New York State Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Jerry Boone.
“According to the IRS, brazen scam artists will remotely access a tax
preparer’s computer to obtain vital taxpayer data or may simply try to steal
paper tax records. By probing each return to detect anomalies and creating a
team dedicated to uncovering tax schemes and questionable refunds, New York
State remains at the forefront of this fight against cybercrimes. We will
continue to employ all available resources to help educate and protect tax
preparers and their clients.”
In addition, by following these simple
security measures, tax preparers can be confident that their clients’
information is protected:
Protect your computer – Ensure that
your computer is secure when accessing taxpayer information online by looking
for “https,” with an “s” for secure, in the website address. Always encrypt
your wireless network with a strong password, and never access your personal
accounts on a public Wi-Fi network.
Use strong passwords – Use a
combination of upper- and lower-case letters as well as numbers and symbols
when creating a new password. Don’t use your name, birth date, or common words.
Use a different password for each of your accounts and change them frequently.
Properly dispose of private information – Shred
documents to destroy sensitive information. Never toss personal or financial
documents in the trash without shredding them first.
Protecting taxpayers
Tax preparers play a critical role in
protecting taxpayer information, filing 70% of all personal and 90% of all
corporate tax returns in New York State. As data breaches increase, so too does
the potential for private information to be used to file fraudulent tax returns
or steal someone’s identity.
The New York State Tax Department works
continuously to detect and prevent fraud. So far this year, the agency has
stopped more than 330,000 suspicious personal income tax refunds, saving
taxpayers nearly $500 million.
If you believe that you’ve been
contacted by someone attempting a scam, or you or a client has been the victim
of fraud or identity theft, visit the Tax
Department’s Report fraud, scams, and identity theft webpage to learn how
to report it. The Tax Department takes this type of illegal activity seriously,
promptly reviews each complaint, and takes corrective action when appropriate.
Source: New York State Department of Taxation and Finance
