The IRS and Security Summit partners today warned the public of a surge of fraudulent emails impersonating the IRS and using tax transcripts as bait to encourage users to open documents containing malware.
This scam can pose issues for businesses whose employees may open the emails because the malware included in these emails can spread throughout the network and could take months to successfully remove.
This malware is currently posing as the IRS, pretending to be from "IRS Online." The email will carry an attachment labeled "Tax Account Transcript" or something very similar and the subject line contains a variation of the phrase "tax transcript." This can change with each version of the scam.
Be aware the IRS does not send sensitive documents or unsolicited emails to the public via email.
If you receive one of these emails do not open the email or the attachment. If you're using a personal computer delete or forward the email to phishing@irs.gov. If you receive this using an employers computer, notify your company's technology professionals immediately.
