JACKSON- The Attorney Generals office is warning Mississippi tax payers of a scam targeting a wide range of organizations in attempts to collect W-2 data to turn in fraudulent tax returns.
According to the Internal Revenue Service the scammers are combining two scams into one.
First: They send an email to an employee in HR that seems to be from the company CEO asking for copies of everyone’s W-2 forms.
Second: They follow up with an urgent request to transfer a large sum of money to a bank account that they control.
“We have received calls and reports to our office this week from entities whose employees have fallen for this type of scam,” AG Hood said. “Employees who would have W-2 information, such as accounting or human resources personnel, are particularly susceptible to this scam. All types of organizations are possible targets, including schools, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and private businesses.”
Employees should always verify by phone that it is a legitimate request coming from an executive.
Consumers who need to report information about a phishing scam or any tax-related scam should contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office at 800-281-4418.
