Attention taxpayers…the IRS is warning that there has been a recent increase in IRS-themed texting scams. Don’t risk losing your personal and financial information—here’s what you should know.

What’s the scam?

There has been an exponential increase in what’s known as “smishing” as of late. Smishing (SMS + phishing) is essentially phishing using text messages instead of email. Hackers will pose as someone from an organization you recognize (trusted companies, government agencies, charities, IRS and Treasury department) and request personal information from you via text message.

Here are two examples of “smishing” attempts:

Stay vigilant!

Remember, the IRS does not send emails or text messages asking for personal information or account numbers. If you receive communication from the “IRS” via email, phone, social media or text, it is a scam! Do not open any links or call numbers in these messages.

If the IRS needs to contact you, they will usually send a message through the mail.

How do you report a smishing scam?

Report any suspicious messages to phishing@irs.gov. This will help protect other taxpayers from the same scam, and allow the IRS to report these scams to affected service providers.

In the email, be sure to include:

• The caller ID number (or email address)
• The text of the message (be careful when copying and pasting to not click any links)
• If possible, include the exact date, time, and time zone that the message was received

Questions? We’re here to help. Contact us today.

Happy Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Don’t forget to register for our affiliate, Envision Technology Advisors, upcoming webinar, Tales from the Breach: Incident Response Stories from a Hacker's Point of View.