Beware Tax Time Financial Scams

Tax season may be a stressful time for many business owners, and unfortunately, some try to take advantage of that. This is a peak time for financial scams. That’s why it’s so important to be vigilant and never respond to emails or click on links unless you are sure they are genuine.  Some scams will ask individuals to click on a link or open an attachment set up to steal information or download malware. Often, these emails pose as government officials and threaten to levy assets or impose penalties if they don’t comply with the request. A busy and stressed recipient can be tempted to err on what seems to be the “safe side” and do as they are asked. Big Mistake.  Working in a remote world, we have prioritized advising our clients on best practices as well as the scams we all need to be aware of, to include:  

• Phishing scams are number one on the IRS’s 2020 “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams. 
• Threatening phone calls from someone pretending to be from the IRS or similar. 
• Ransomware scheme where thieves install malware that allows them to hold data hostage until a ransom is paid. (The FBI warns against paying any ransom; report it instead.)

Clearly, there are a lot of scams to be aware of. At CJBS, we have taken proactive measures to protect our own and our clients’ information by staying on top of all IRS and state tax agency updates. We use the latest industry-leading technology, including multi-factor authentication, so there is no risk of disclosing sensitive information to anyone not authorized to have it. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.  

Stay safe and healthy, 
The CJBS Team