Cybersecurity & Taxes

By Scott Stitts, Vice President & Chief Information Officer

In today's digital age, cybersecurity is a real concern for everyone, especially those who deal with sensitive financial data such as taxes. Tax season is an ideal time for cybercriminals to take advantage of unsuspecting taxpayers. For that reason, it is necessary to take precautions to ensure your data is protected and secure.

It is common to use digital platforms in tax preparation. Cybercriminals can easily exploit weaknesses in online tax preparation software and use phishing scams to steal sensitive financial information. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the potential risks and protect yourself from tax-related cyber threats.

One of the most effective ways to protect yourself from tax-related cyber threats is to use a secure online tax preparation and filing service. Well-known and reliable tax preparation services create codes to protect your sensitive data, such as social security numbers, tax identification numbers and bank account information from unauthorized access.

Be sure the tax preparation service you use is legitimate and has a good reputation. Scammers often set up fake tax preparation websites to try and trick new (and even experienced) taxpayers into giving out their personal and financial information. Do research and verify the legitimacy of any tax preparation service you plan to use. Another way to protect yourself from tax-related cyber threats is to keep your computer and software up to date. Outdated software and operating systems are more likely to cause cyber-attacks. Always install the latest updates and patches as soon as they become available.

You should also be cautious of phishing scams during tax season. Phishing scams are fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information. Scammers pretend to be a trustworthy entity to get your valuable information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details. These scams can take many forms, such as fake emails, social media messages and phone calls.

To avoid falling victim to a phishing scam, never click on links or download attachments from suspicious emails or messages. Also, be wary of any requests for sensitive information, even if they are from a legitimate source. Reliable organizations will never ask you to provide sensitive information over the phone via email or social media.

Protecting your financial information during tax season is essential. Cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to steal personal and financial information, and tax season is no exception. By using secure tax preparation services, keeping your software up-to-date and being cautious of phishing scams, you can protect yourself from tax-related cyber threats and ensure your financial information remains safe and secure.