The IRS,
state tax agencies and the tax industry is urging tax practitioners to maintain
and monitor their EFINs and CAF numbers to help safeguard taxpayer data.
Cyber-criminals
sometimes post stolen EFINs, PTINs and CAF numbers on the Dark Web as a crime
kit for identity thieves who can then file fraudulent tax returns. To protect
EFINs, PTINs and CAF numbers a tax preparer should avoid phishing emails which
cyber-criminals commonly use to trick practitioners into disclosing their
sensitive information. Tax preparers can review the Don’t Take the Bait campaign to learn more about the
various tactics are used by identity thieves.
To assist
tax professionals the IRS has created a How to Maintain, Monitor and Protect
Your EFIN video and web page that offer tips to preparers.
Tax
preparers should make a weekly check of their EFINs to determine how many
returns were filed under their number. They should also update their EFIN
application within 30 days of any change, including if there are any new
personnel, telephone numbers, addresses or email addresses.
Additionally,
tax professionals who are attorneys, CPAs, enrolled agents or participants in
the Annual Filing Season Program and file more than 50 returns can also check
the number of returns that the IRS processed with their PTIN in the current
year. This information is updated weekly and can be located by going to their
online PTIN account and selecting “View Returns Filed per PTIN”.
For more details see IRS news release IR-2018-61 (Security Summit urges tax pros to protect their identification numbers).
No comments:
Post a Comment