Endpoint Protection

During hard economic times, people look for ways to save money. Spending money on necessities such as tax preparation is no exception. Recently, spammers have been offering ways to save money on tax preparation as a means to enter a user’s inbox.
 
Below are some examples of subject lines spammers are using to lure users into opening messages:

 

File Your Returns Now!
TaxAct Online Home of the Totally Free federal tax return.
Prepare Free Print Free IRS e-file FREE
Click the link below to start your tax return

These messages are not just limited to taxpayers in the United States. Since spammers are part of  international underground corporations, other countries fall victim to spammers’ tactics as well. Our technicians have monitored emails directed to the people of France using the same principle. Here is an example:

Madame, monsieur,

Votre simulateur fiscale impôt 2009, vous permettant de calculer votre
prochain impôt sur le revenu, est disponible en cliquant sur le lien
ci-dessous.

Vous pourrez également y découvrir les nouvelles réductions d’impôt qui vous
sont applicables.

Translation:

Madam, sir,

Your 2009 fiscal tax simulator, allowing you to calculate your next income revenue, is available by clicking on the link below.

You will also discover new tax cuts that you can apply for.

In both versions of this spam message, the user will be directed to a website where they will be asked for personal information, such as contact details and earnings.





Even though it is tempting to save every penny right now, please do not visit these sites. Giving your personal information to a spammer who will use it for their own monetary gain will be detrimental to your bank account. Then again, you wouldn’t have to worry about your taxes anymore when you have no money, would you?