As the 2021 filing season approaches the IRS is warning taxpayers and tax preparers to remain vigilant due to the constantly evolving threats and scams from fraudsters. This year identity thieves have added additional scams related to the COVID-19 pandemic in their effort to steal taxpayers and tax preparers out of their identities and/or money.
As part of their awareness effort the IRS held their 5th Annual National Security Awareness Week between November 30 and December 4. The goal of this awareness effort is to offer basic security guidance for individual taxpayers, tax preparers and business taxpayers to protect themselves and their tax information from tax-related identity theft.
This year the IRS is emphasizing the following subjects related to security and how tax preparers can protect themselves from identity thieves:
- Tips on protecting personal and financial information online as the 2021 filing season approaches
- A reminder to taxpayers and tax preparers to use the multi-factor authentication options being offered by tax software providers
- Announcement of the expansion of the Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program to all taxpayers beginning in January
- Small businesses need to tighten security with emphasis on new protections they can use against identity theft
- Reminder to tax preparers to review the Taxes-Security-Together checklist to protect themselves and their computer systems from identity thieves
The National Security Awareness Week page on the IRS website also offers the following information:
- Tax Tips for tax preparers
- Links to posters on the five topics covered by this year’s National Security Awareness week
- Videos on security topics for tax preparers
See the following on the IRS and FTC website for more information on what tax preparers and taxpayers can do to protect themselves from identity thieves:
- IRS: Security Summit
- IRS: Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself
- IRS: Publication 4557 (Safeguarding Taxpayer Data)
- IRS: Publication 5923 (Data Theft Resource Guide for Tax Professionals)
- FTC: Protecting Personal Information a Guide for Business
- FTC: Start with Security a Guide for Business
- IRS: Don’t Take the Bait
- IRS: Taxes.Security.Together
