(Special Agent Chris Janczewski IRS Criminal Investigation) WHEN A TAX PROFESSIONAL'S COMPUTER IS HACKED… IT CREATES A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO THEIR CLIENTS… THE PRACTITIONER'S LIVELIHOOD AND THE U-S TAX SYSTEM. IF YOUR SYSTEM HAS BEEN HACKED… WHAT DO YOU DO? REPORTING DATA COMPROMISES IMMEDIATELY AND WORKING WITH THE IRS IS CRITICAL TO MINIMIZING THE IMPACT OF THIS CRIME. (Anna Falkenstein, IRS Senior Stakeholder Liaison) CONTACT THE IRS IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSSES AND PROTECT YOUR CLIENTS. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL IRS STAKEHOLDER LIAISON. THEY CAN BE FOUND BY GOING TO IRS-DOT-GOV AND TYPING "STAKEHOLDER LIAISON" IN THE SEARCH FIELD. THEY'LL PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND OBTAIN THE INFORMATION THAT THE IRS NEEDS TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR CLIENTS. WHEN THE IRS IS INFORMED OF A DATA COMPROMISE… NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR SMALL… A SPECIALLY TRAINED UNIT TAKES IMMEDIATE STEPS TO MITIGATE THE HARM BY SCREENING ANY TAX RETURNS LINKED TO THE COMPROMISED DATA. YOU SHOULD ALSO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FORMALLY DOCUMENT THE THEFT IN A POLICE REPORT. IN ADDITION… IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY YOUR STATE TAXATION AUTHORITY BY SENDING AN E-MAIL TO STATE-ALERT-AT-TAX-ADMIN-DOT-ORG. YOU SHOULD ALSO NOTIFY YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER… AND A TRUSTED I-T SECURITY PROFESSIONAL. NOW… ALL THESE STEPS CAN BE FOUND ON "OUR DATA THEFT INFORMATION FOR TAX PROFESSIONALS" PAGE. JUST GO TO I-R-S-DOT-GOV AND TYPE "DATA THEFT" IN THE SEARCH FIELD. IN ADDITION… THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION HAS AN EXCELLENT DATA BREACH RESPONSE GUIDE FOR BUSINESSES AND THE F-B-I OVERSEES THE INTERNET CRIME COMPLAINT CENTER… OR I-C-3. (Juan Mendez, IRS Return Integrity & Compliance Services) THE IRS CONSIDERS THE THEFT OF CLIENT INFORMATION FROM A TAX PROFESSIONAL AS A VERY SERIOUS CRIME. THIS INFORMATION IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE TO A FRAUDSTER… BECAUSE IT CAN BE USED TO GENERATE A FRAUDULENT RETURN THAT MIRRORS A VICTIM'S ACTUAL RETURN. WE SOMETIMES SEE THAT THE ONLY CHANGE ON THE TAX RETURN IS THE BANK ROUTING NUMBER… WITH THE REFUND REDIRECTED STRAIGHT INTO THE THIEF'S BANK ACCOUNT. EVERY DAY OF THE TAX FILING SEASON… WE SCREEN THOUSANDS OF TAX RETURNS TO IDENTIFY ANOMALIES AND STOP FRAUDULENT REFUNDS FROM BEING ISSUED. WHENEVER WE IDENTIFY A POTENTIALLY FRAUDULENT RETURN… WE CORRESPOND WITH THE TAXPAYER TO DETERMINE IF THE TAX RETURN FILED IS ACTUALLY THEIRS. THIS CORRESPONDENCE INCLUDES DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO CONTACT THE IRS AND STEPS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE. SOMETIMES… RECEIPT OF THIS CORRESPONDENCE IS THE FIRST TIME THE "REAL" TAXPAYER FINDS OUT THAT THEY HAVE BECOME A VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT. IT IS CRITICAL THAT A TAXPAYER RESPOND TO US IMMEDIATELY… WHICH ENHANCES OUR ABILITY TO STOP THE FRAUDULENT REFUND AND EFFICIENTLY RESOLVE THE TAXPAYER'S ACCOUNT. (NARRATOR) WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU BOOKMARK "PROTECT YOUR CLIENTS; PROTECT YOURSELF" AT IRS-DOT-GOV TO STAY INFORMED OF SECURITY UPDATES AFFECTING TAX PROFESSIONALS. YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER FOR E-NEWS FOR TAX PROFESSIONALS OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT-I-R-S-TAX-PROS AND AT FACEBOOK-DOT-COM-SLASH-I-R-S-TAX-PROS.
