The New York State Department of
Taxation and Finance, along with the Department of State’s Division of Consumer
Protection, today renewed its warning for all New York tax preparers and human
resources professionals of evolving scams aimed at stealing confidential client
and employee information after identifying at least 65 companies in New
York City, the Capital Region, Central New York, and Western New York that have
now been impacted, affecting 7,100 taxpayers.
“New Yorkers entrusted with access to
the private information of their colleagues and clients must protect it at all
costs,” said Acting Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Nonie Manion. “If
something seems out of the ordinary, it’s better to be overly cautious to
prevent sensitive data from ending up in the wrong hands.”
New York
Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, “The New York State Division of
Consumer Protection reminds New Yorkers to be vigilant during tax season, as it
is an optimum time for scammers to steal private information for their own
personal gain. Just a few simple steps can protect individuals and businesses
from becoming victims of fraud.”
Governor Cuomo recently
highlighted several scams emerging this tax season. The one that continues to
impact the most New Yorkers targets payroll and HR professionals.
Cybercriminals posing as company
executives send emails to payroll and HR professionals requesting lists of
employees and their personal information. This year, the scammers are expanding
their reach. The Tax Department has identified multiple industries being
affected, from health care and legal services to product manufacturing.
These emails may appear legitimate
because they contain the name of the company’s chief executive officer. If you
receive such an email, don’t respond even if the sender continues to send
emails demanding information. Never provide any payroll data, such as W-2 forms
and Social Security numbers, through email.
The Tax Department is in contact with
the affected businesses and is working with them to protect their employees.
If you’re an employer that has been a
victim of this scam and, in response, released any payroll data, such as W-2
information and Social Security numbers, see Guidance
for employers affected by a W-2 phishing scam for instructions.
Protect yourself and your clients
Tax professionals must protect their
clients’ personal information by only providing it to trusted sources such as
the IRS and the NYS Tax Department. They should shred documents containing
private data before discarding, and file clients’ tax returns as early as
possible to reduce the timeframe an identity thief would have to claim a
fraudulent tax refund using their clients’ information.
Remember, the NYS Tax Department and the
IRS will never make threats over the phone and will never request personal or
financial information by email.
Report it
If you’ve been contacted by a scammer
posing as an IRS agent, you must contact the IRS. Learn how to report the
incident here.
If you’ve been contacted by a con artist
claiming to be from the New York State Tax Department, visit the Tax
Department’s Report
fraud, scams, and identity theft webpage to learn how to report it. The Tax
Department promptly reviews each complaint and takes corrective action when
appropriate.
You may also contact the Division of Consumer Protection hotline at (800) 697-1220 Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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