IRS 2023 Dirty Dozen- Scan #8: Spearphishing and Cybersecurity for Tax Professionals and Businesses (Part D)

IRS 2023 Dirty Dozen – Scam #8: Spearphishing and Cybersecurity for Tax
Professionals and Businesses (Part D)

MAKE A DIFFERENCE: REPORT FRAUD, SCAMS AND SCHEMES

Individuals should never respond to tax-related phishing or spearfishing or click on the
URL link. Instead, the scams should be reported by sending the email or a copy of the
text/SMS as an attachment to  [email protected] . The report should include the caller ID
(email or phone number), date, time and time zone, and the number that received the
message.

Taxpayers can also report scams to the  Treasury Inspector General for Tax
Administration  or the  Internet Crime Complaint Center . The  Report Phishing and Online
Scams  page at IRS.gov provides complete details. The Federal Communications
Commission’s  Smartphone Security Checker  is a useful tool against mobile security
threats.

As part of the Dirty Dozen awareness effort, the IRS encourages people to report
individuals who promote improper and abusive tax schemes as well as tax return
preparers who deliberately prepare improper returns.

To report an abusive tax scheme or a tax return preparer, people should mail or fax a
completed  Form 14242, Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers PDF and
any supporting materials to the IRS Lead Development Center in the Office of Promoter
Investigations.

Mail:

Internal Revenue Service Lead Development Center
Stop MS5040
24000 Avila Road
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677-3405
Fax: 877-477-9135

Alternatively, taxpayers and tax practitioners may send the information to the  IRS
Whistleblower Office  for possible monetary reward.

For more information, see  Abusive Tax Schemes and Abusive Tax Return Preparers .
Next week #9: Watch out for Offer in Compromise ‘mills’ where promoters claim their
services are needed to settle IRS debts

(IRS Web Site (TTT 091923)