Keeping Up With the Speed of Change 2

             It seems today, that the only constant that we can rely on is change. Whether that is true or not, there are many things that we do need to be aware of, and adjust to. A new example is a very dangerous email scam that targets businesses and its employees. A criminal sends an email, pretending to be an executive in an organization, to a member of the Payroll or Human Resources Department. They ask for a list of all employees and their Forms W-2. Falling for a Business Email Compromise of this sort will be devastating.

          If this happens, the IRS must be notified to keep these thieves from filing false Tax Returns in order to receive refunds. This data loss must also be reported to any State Tax Agencies, as well as, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IRS can also help with guidance to share with employees who have had their personal information stolen. These steps must be taken quickly once it is clear a breach has occurred.
          In the event that the business does not fall for the scam, they can help the IRS as they continue to combat these threats. The IRS wants those emails sent to them, not just forwarded, but sent as a saved attachment so they can see the methods that criminals are using. They also need to file a report with the IC3. With new challenges being faced every day, we can only do our best to keep up.

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