Every tax season, our accounting firm will inevitably receive at least one email that contains someone’s personal information, usually a social security number. While emailing a trusted accountant personal information may not seem like a big deal, it can actually put important personal data at risk and open individuals up to scams and identity theft.
Whether it’s during tax season or football season, an email to an accountant or an email to mom, keeping one’s personal information safe should be a top priority year-round. Knowing what steps to take to secure this data and what scams are out there can go a long way in ensuring that private information does not end up in the wrong hands.
Protect Personal Information Always
Personal information such as taxpayer identification numbers or social security numbers, date of birth, age, address, or bank account information should be protected at all times. While many of us have learned not to share this personal information with strangers we meet on the street, the same is true online. This information should only ever be shared when absolutely necessary. It should also be very clear who is receiving the information, for what purpose, and how they protect the information once it has been given.
- It is always appropriate to ask why personal information is needed and what will be done with the information once it has been provided.
- Always know who is requesting the information. If unsure, request a meeting in person to discuss concerns.
Ensure Personal Information is Transferred Securely
Once it has been determined that it is absolutely necessary that personal information be given to a trusted source for good reasons, then ensuring that personal information is transferred or given securely is the next important step.
Setting up a meeting in person, where you can bring in any personal documents, like birth certificates, identification cards, social security cards, tax documents, etc., is ideal. This allows the information to be given to the requesting party, without it leaving your sight or care. These security measures are why many government agencies, like the Social Security Agency (SSA) or even state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) require people to bring their documents to in person meetings. As the caretaker of your information, this also allows you to take note of exactly who is receiving your information and verify that it is what was expected.
While in person meetings are the best, there are many reasons why information may need to be transferred online. If that is the case, then the best way to do this is through a secure site. Often accountant firms requesting information will send a secure link to upload or transmit documents with personal information. These links and portals help secure information through passwords, dual factor authentication, end-to-end encrypted messages, and additional cyber security measures. When providing personal information to a website, look for and set up these features as well. Also look for sites that have secured browsers (may have a lock icon near the URL or the edge of the screen or URL may turn green).
Here are some important additional tips to help secure personal information while online:
- Never email, text, or give personal information over the phone. These methods of transferring personal information are not secure enough and put your information at risk.
- Do not use public Wi-Fi when transmitting personal information. Public Wi-Fi allows others to see what you are doing on the network, and this allows criminals to see your personal information.
- Choose strong, unique passwords. Do not re-use passwords for online accounts.
- Enable two-factor authentication wherever possible. While it may be annoying to set up a bunch of steps to secure your information, the more security steps you set up, the more blocks criminals must face before getting to your information.
- Use security software to help. Having comprehensive anti-virus protection on all digital divides helps protect your shared information.
- Back-up and encrypt personal information files. If any personal information, such a copy of tax records, are saved on digital devices, back them up to a removable hard drive and encrypt the files.
Be Aware of Scams and Hacked Accounts
There are many scams out there where criminals seek to get ahold of people’s personal information. Often, this information is used to commit fraud or identity theft. An important part of keeping your personal information safe is thus staying up to date with the latest scamming methods.
Identity thieves often use emails and phone calls to trick people into giving up their passwords or personal information. These scams have gotten harder to identify over the years. For instance, criminals have figured out to change their caller I.D. information and email addresses to make it look like they are calling from businesses or government agencies. Fake emails now look more authentic with copied logos and wording that mimics the language patterns and phrases found on legitimate websites.
Criminals are also using more creative ways to get people’s attention. Hacking personal social media accounts to gain access to personal information or solicit it from an individual’s friends has become more common. Some thieves also use social media platforms to give false tax advice or promote tax scams. Be alert to people potentially posing as charities, tax preparers, or other agents seeking to “help” you file claims or get big tax refunds.
While scammers get more creative and better at stealing information, individuals need to get more vigilant and better at protecting their information. Here are some tips to help protect your personal information when dealing with potential scammers:
- Be wary of opening emails from unknown sources. Do not open any links or attachments in these emails, especially if they look odd or are misspelled. If the email looks like it is from a business or agency, do not follow the links on the email. Instead, go to the official website, securely log-in to your account, and check on your account from there.
- Don’t be afraid to hang up on suspicious phone calls. After hanging up, go to the business’ or agency’s official website and call the number listed there or check your account online.
- Know how major agencies contact people. For instance, the IRS will rarely email or text individuals, and only with their permission beforehand. Most government agencies communicate via U.S. mail.
- Don’t trust what you see online or on social media without doing more research. It is easy for people to pose as tax preparers or charities on fake social media accounts. Verify these businesses or charities by looking for official websites and more information about them online. Also try searching for the entity on state government websites or the IRS website. Real businesses and charities will have to register with these entities.
- Look for signs of identity theft such as rejected tax returns, W-2s or 1099s from employers you didn’t work for, benefits you didn’t apply for, EINs you didn’t apply for, alerts about failed log-in attempts or new devices added, and more.
- Report anything suspicious or fraudulent as soon as possible. Check official websites, such as the IRS website, for the latest scam information. By reporting your experiences to these places, you can help other people avoid scams and potentially aid in catching criminals.
Protecting your personal information is something to take seriously. Knowing the right security measures to take and staying up to date on the latest scams can save a lot of headaches and money in the future. As tax season approaches, be sure to stay vigilant about keeping personal information safe and secure.
Internal Revenue Service. (2024, Dec 16). Keep personal information safe under digital lock and key. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/keep-personal-information-safe-under-digital-lock-and-key
Internal Revenue Service. (2025, Jan 23). How to know it’s the IRS. https://www.irs.gov/help/how-to-know-its-the-irs
Internal Revenue Service. (2025, Jan 27). Recognize tax scams and fraud. https://www.irs.gov/help/tax-scams/recognize-tax-scams-and-fraud
