Strike Force Recommends Narrow Use of Robocall-Blocking Tool
Carriers that have tested one of the more promising methods for blocking robocalls–known as a Do Not Originate list–say that the system is effective, but should only be used in narrow, carefully selected circumstances to prevent false positives and stop fraudsters from moving to legitimate numbers. The idea behind the DNO list concept is to define […]
Bulgarian Sentenced in $6 Million Tax Refund Scheme
The IRS and taxpayers themselves have been the targets of a wide range of attacks and scams for many years, most of which involve some variety of identity theft. The fraudsters behind these operations often go unpunished, but in a rare victory, the U.S. government has convicted and sentenced to nearly four years in prison a Bulgarian […]
IRS Phone Scammers Shift Tactics
The variety of IRS tax scams is continuing to increase, and the agency is now telling consumers to be wary of a recent shift in scammers’ tactics regarding tax refund schemes. The latest version involves scammers calling consumers to “verify” details of their tax returns and harvesting valuable personal information. Most of these schemes involve […]
Steal 54 Identities, Get 334 Years in Prison
Civil rights advocates and security researchers for years have been decrying the penalties that result from prosecutions under the United States’ Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), saying they often are too harsh. But those sentences pale in comparison to what a Turkish man is facing after his second conviction for hacking and identity theft. […]
IRS Says Identity Theft Protection Services Deductible for Companies
In the face of continued data breaches and an ever-increasing pile of identity thefts, the IRS has released a new piece of guidance that says companies are able to deduct the cost of identity theft protection, even without it being connected to a specific breach. The new guidance, released Monday, comes as consumers are beset on […]
How an IRS Employee Allegedly Stole $1 Million from Taxpayers
Few, if any, companies or government agencies store more sensitive personal information than the IRS, and consumers have virtually no insight into how that data is used and secured. But, as the results of a recent Justice Department investigation show, when you start poking around in those dark corners, you sometimes find very ugly things. Beginning […]
IRS Tax Scams Remained Major Threat in 2015
The most dangerous piece of software installed on any computer is the browser, as it is the key target of the vast majority of online attacks. In the same way, the phone quickly is becoming one of the more dangerous devices you can own. Phone fraud scams, whether they target businesses or individual users, have become highly […]