Cyber criminals target consumers around tax time

Cyber criminals target consumers around tax time

AVG NZ warns consumers and small businesses to be alert to the latest online scams and phishing attacks targeting this tax return season.

AUCKLAND, 25 June 2012 — Ahead of this year’s provisional tax return season, AVG NZ Pty Ltd, distributor of AVG Technologies’ award-winning AVG Internet and mobile security software in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, alerts consumers and small businesses to the latest attempts by cyber criminals to gain access to lucrative identity and financial information.

With thousands of individuals using the New Zealand Inland Revenue’s IR3 electronic income tax return service, cyber criminals have a huge, potentially receptive audience for their activities.

Security Advisor at AVG NZ, Michael McKinnon, said: “Internet crime and taxes are now two of life’s certainties. Cyber criminals are starting to release this year’s crop of scams to trick taxpayers into revealing highly valuable personal and financial information. As younger members of the community join the workforce and others shift from paper-based to online tax return processes, there is always a new audience for inventive tax season scams.”

There’s certain inevitability about July 7: it will bring new ways to scam the unwary and new phishing frauds asking for your credit card details including:
• Assistance to find lost superannuation funds;
• Notification that your company tax rate has changed.

The Government’s Inland Revenue website is currently alerting Kiwis to be aware of suspicious emails seeking your IRD number and other personal information. Many of us now communicate directly with tax advisors via email so other tricks include sending phishing emails that ask you to open what appear to be legitimate attachments to fill out personal details. The simple act of clicking on that attachment could redirect you to a malicious website, or deliver to your computer an infection that could launch an attack on your accounts and extract financial details.

McKinnon said: “When you consider all the information included in your income tax return in the hands of cyber criminals, your identity and more could be at risk. And if you see an offer that looks too good to be true – avoid it. Any offer of an online refund will absolutely be a scam because that’s not how the Inland Revenue or any other New Zealand government agency operates. Inland Revenue will only operate electronically through the secure channels outlined on its website."

Some top tips to help you safely file your IR3 income tax return this year:

• Review your personal or business online security systems to ensure your protection is fully and automatically up to date – on all computers, phones, other mobile technologies, plus USB and other memory devices from which you will gather, store and send your financial information
• Do your homework by reviewing the Inland Revenue online security pages
• In communicating with your tax advisor, consider creating a password protected Zip file of your financial data
• Always open your e-Tax filing directly from the Inland Revenue’s website site (www.ird.govt.nz); never click through to the site from an email invitation. The filing of tax returns directly via the Inland Revenue’s e-Tax service is secure
• Always use a trusted WiFi or Ethernet connection from your home or office to file your tax return – never use a public WiFi without a firewall in place and Internet security installed
• Be cautious of anything that you haven’t directly requested and only respond to those communications you’ve initiated
• Delete all related emails from your server once you’ve filed your return
• While the Inland Revenue uses emails and SMS for service alerts, it will never request the confirmation, update or disclosure of confidential personal details. If you receive suspect communication from ‘the Inland Revenue’ or any other ‘government department’, do not click on any links in an email or answer phone questions. Report it immediately to the Inland Revenue

Tax Time Cyber Crime Assistance
• Warning about suspicious emails: http://www.ird.govt.nz/news-updates/like-to-know-suspicious-emails.html
• e-Tax Essentials from the Inland Revenue’s site: http://www.ird.govt.nz/tax2012/campaign-tax-2012-ir3-returns.html?id=tax2012

Keep in touch with AVG NZ
• For breaking news, follow AVG NZ on Twitter at twitter.com/avgaunz
• Join our Facebook community at www.facebook.com/avgaunz
• For security trends, analysis, follow the AVG (AU/NZ) blog at resources.avg.com.au

AVG (AU/NZ) has a comprehensive range of security tips on its web site at http://www.avg.com.au/resources/security-tips/. For video tips from AVG (AU/NZ), see http://www.youtube.com/user/avgaunz.

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About AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd — www.avg.co.nz
Based in Melbourne, AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd, an Avalanche Technology Group company, distributes AVG Technologies’ software, namely the AVG Internet Security and Mobile Security product range in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

AVG Technologies’ mission is to simplify, optimize and secure the Internet experience, providing peace of mind to a connected world AVG’s powerful yet easy-to-use software and online services put users in control of their Internet experience. By choosing AVG’s software and services, users become part of a trusted global community that benefits from inherent network effects, mutual protection and support. AVG has grown its user base to 114 million active users as of March 31, 2012 and offers a product portfolio that targets the consumer and small business markets and includes Internet security, PC performance optimization, online backup, mobile security and identity protection.

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