Posted by: TAZ Networks on November 13, 2020 at 12:00 pm
In case you’ve lost all track of time, we’re coming up on a lot of “Seasons” – hunting season, holiday season, flu season (um, about that last one…)
But one “season” you may not have thought about is Scam Season.
Gift season, tax season, flu season, or scam season? End of year can present all four at once.
It’s true. November through April is a prime time of year for scams.
Yes, we understand that November through April is almost half of the year. While it’s true that any individual or business can be targeted by scammers at any time of year, however, these really are prime months for various scams. Let us explain:
The Gift Card Scam
The basic gift card scam runs something like this: Your “boss” emails you, asking you to purchase a bunch of gift cards to use as employee bonuses or client gifts. But the email address is fake, your company funds disappear, and the gift card codes get resold online. We went into detail on this scam here.
We’re entering the biggest gift-giving time of year. Be on alert for the gift card scam, and double-check with a phone call before handling any unusual financial directives from your boss.
W-2 and Other Tax Scams
Another frantic email from your boss, asking you to email all the employee W-2 information immediately. Once again, this scam uses a fake email and urgent tone to increase the odds that you’ll comply. We’ve discussed this scam almost yearly for several years.
Fourth and first quarters are prime budgeting and tax-prep season. While an urgent request for W-2 information may seem reasonable, this is another one you want to double-check in person or via phone call before responding.
Coronavirus Scams
Big news is always a go-to email subject line for scammers, and coronavirus-related emails are no exception. This week’s news of a potential coronavirus vaccine approval is sure to generate tons of scam emails with big, dramatic subject lines – and malicious links.
Odds are, the CDC isn’t going to email you directly. Be sure to get your news from reliable sources. Hover over any email links before clicking, to see where they are sending you.
Scams are constantly on the rise, and hackers may be the most maliciously creative people on the planet. Don’t be a victim. Make sure your email is protected with filtration that stops scams before they reach your inbox. Contact TAZ Networks today to get started.
Image inspiration here, of course.