Tax season is upon us and there will be a lot of people who choose to do due things on-line or in person. Either way, be vigilant and protect your information. There are many things you can do to keep yourself and information safe. Remember, an ounce of prevention is equal to a pound of cure.
Create strong passwords: Choose combinations of lower and upper-case letters, numbers, and symbols and change them periodically. It’s also better to create a unique password instead of using the same password across multiple sites.
Watch out for links and attachments: Cybercriminals will often compose their phishing scams to look like legitimate communications from a bank, utility company, or other corporate entity. Certain things like spelling errors or a different email address than the typical sender can be a clue that the email is spam.
Check to see if the site is secure: Before entering personal information into a website, take a look at the top of your browser. If there is a lock symbol and the URL begins with “https,” that means the site is secure. There are a few other ways to determine if the site is trustworthy, such as a website privacy policy, contact information, or a “verified secure” seal.
Consider additional protection: Install anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and a firewall. For additional protection, you may want to consider cyber insurance, which can keep you and your family safe if you fall victim to a cyberattack.
For more safety information:
TAS Tax Tip: How to keep your personal and tax information safe (irs.gov)
Tax Time Security - National Cybersecurity Alliance (staysafeonline.org)