Anika Pompey: Okay, so I see it is the top of the hour. For those of you just joining, welcome to today's webinar, Internal Revenue Service and International Association of Better Business Bureau Incorporated Present: Scams and Tax Related Identity Theft for Individuals and Businesses. We're glad you're joining us today. My name is Anika Pompey, and I'm a Stakeholder Liaison with the Internal Revenue Service and I will be your moderator for today's webinar, which is slated for 75 minutes. Before we begin, if there's anyone in the audience that is with the media, please send an email to the address on this slide and be be sure to include your contact information and the news publication you're with. Our Media Relations and Stakeholder Liaison staff will assist you and answer any questions you may have. As a reminder, this webinar will be recorded and posted to the IRS video portal in a few weeks. That portal is located at www.irsvideos.gov. Again, we hope you won't experience any technology issues, but if you do, this slide shows helpful tips and reminders. We've posted a technical help document you can download from the material section on the left side of your screen. It provides the minimum system requirements for viewing this webinar along with some best practices and quick solutions. If you've completed and passed your system check and are still having problems, try one of the following. Close screen where you're viewing the webinar and relaunch it or click on settings on your browser viewing screen and select HLS.

You should have received today's PowerPoint in a reminder email, but if not, no worries. You can download it by clicking on the materials dropdown arrow on the left side of your screen as shown on this slide. Closed captioning is available for today's presentation. If you're having trouble hearing the audio through your computer speaker, please click the closed captioning dropdown arrow located on the left side of your screen. This feature will be available throughout the webinar. If you have topic specific questions today, please submit it by clicking the ask question dropdown arrow to reveal the text box. Now, type your question in the text box and click send. This is very important. Please do not enter any sensitive or taxpayer specific information. Again, welcome and thank you for joining us for today's webinar. Before we move along with our session, let me make sure you're in the right place. Today's webinar is Internal Revenue Service and International Association of Better Business Bureau Incorporated Present: Scams and Tax Related Identity Theft for Individuals and Businesses. This webinar is scheduled for approximately 75 minutes. Today we are going to cover identity theft information for businesses, common tax related identity theft scams, signs of tax related identity theft, methods for reporting tax related identity theft, and then we'll also cover the IRS Identity Protection Personal Identification Number program. Some resources to protect your tax related protect you from tax related identity theft. We'll cover IRS's partnership with the Security Summit. And then lastly, we'll have some live question-and-answers. So before we meet our presenters, I would like to introduce Kip Morse, he's the CEO of the International Association of Better Business Bureau Incorporated. So we'll start to see his Better Business Bureau experience and 22 years as President and CEO of the BBB in Columbus, Ohio. Kip Morse is, was tapped to lead the International Association of Better Business Bureau in early 2021. Kip is known for his commitment to integrity having launched programs such as the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics. The BBB Spark Awards, the Center for Character Ethics, the BBB Trust Score and other programs that focus on the role of honor and truthfulness in personal behavior and the business performance. Morse holds a Bachelor in Criminal Justice from Kent State University and was instrumental at the BBB in initiating the chairing, and chairing the Ohio Consumer Fraud Advisory Group, which included, which includes the Attorney General State and Local Law Enforcement and regional offices of the FBI, Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Homeland Security. He supports causes associated with the autism and the Down syndrome population as well as Gracehaven, which serves youth and families by providing sex trafficking prevention services and by empowering youth rescued from sex trafficking to thrive with dignity and a renewed life. He and Leslie, his wife of 33 years have three grown daughters. They are active in the Columbus community, especially with causes related to autism and Down syndrome, which have impacted their family. International Association of Better Business Bureau is based in Arlington, Virginia, but it's staff is fully remote from 17 states, allowing Morse to remain in the Columbus area. I'm now going to turn the mic over to Kip to share a few words. Mr. Morris, the floor is yours. Kip Morse: Well, thank you very much, Anika, and on behalf of the ninety-five Better Business Bureaus, thank you all for joining us today. I want to thank our partners at the IRS for providing this valuable programming for our BBB accredited businesses. Running a business isn't easy and that's why BBB is here to help you with business tips and programming to help you protect your business and yourself. We look forward to this and many more collaborative presentations in the future. Thanks for joining us. Anika Pompey: Thank you for those words, Mr. Morse. So now let's introduce today's speakers. We have Yvette-Brook Williams. She is a senior Stakeholder Liaison for the State of Delaware and the Stakeholder Liaison Office of the Internal Revenue Service Communications and Liaison Division. Stakeholder Liaison serves as the primary IRS liaison office to tax practitioner and industry organizations throughout the country. Yvette coordinates and presents a variety of small business and practitioner topics to the tax professionals as well as community and business organizations. Beginning her career with the Internal Revenue Service in 1987, she has been assigned to numerous general program areas, concentrating on accounts management, taxpayer service compliance, technical tax law issues, and electronic filing. Next we have Roy Chaney. Roy is also a Senior Stakeholder Liaison with the Communication and Liaison Division of the IRS, but he services the greater Los Angeles area. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree and Business Administration from the University of San Francisco. Roy brings over 33 years of IRS experience to the Stakeholder Liaison role by way of prior positions in customer service, exam offer in compromise and collections. I'm going to turn it over to Yvette to begin the presentation. Yvette? Yvette-Brook Williams: Thank you, Anika, and welcome to the scams and tax related identity theft for individuals and businesses. At the end of 2022, the 7th year of the Annual National Tax Security Awareness week was held. As we enter the middle of tax season, what a great reminder from the Summit partners to warn taxpayers and tax professionals to take extra steps to protect their financial and tax information. People face a high risk in coming months as fraudsters take advantage of the tax season to trick people into sharing sensitive, personal information by email, text message, and online. Identity thieves use that information to try to file tax returns and steal refunds. So today we'll focus on individual and business identity theft. The Security Summit consists of the IRS, state tax agencies and the tax community. They are working in partnership to combat identity theft, refund fraud to protect the nation's taxpayers. The Security Summit members have made great progress in the fight against identity theft and stolen identity refund fraud, but of course we have more work to do. We also need your help. We need everyone to do everything possible to protect their sensitive, personally identifiable information or personally identifiable data. Now in its 7th year, the National Tax Security Awareness Week took place from November 28th through December 2nd. Now with the holidays behind us and the tax season among us, the summit partners warn taxpayers and tax professionals to take extra steps to protect their financial and tax information. Scams and fraud, specifically related to tax administration.

Fighting fraud is a continuous activity for the Internal Revenue Service, primarily because scammers evolve as technology evolves. We focus on prevention and we're constantly working with our partners to provide information that helps taxpayers recognize and avoid scams. Tax related identity theft started out as a petty crime perpetrated by unorganized criminals and dishonest return preparers. But it has evolved into a major enterprise funded by highly technical national and international crime syndicates. The IRS sees thousands of fraudulent tax scams each year and the scams tend to rise during tax season and times of crisis like when we were in the COVID-19 pandemic. So one thing the IRS does to alert taxpayers is published an annual list called the Dirty Dozen, and everyone can view this list on IRS.gov by searching, Dirty Dozen. Now on this slide you will see a few of the scams listed. First up are email phishing and malware scams. So watch out for fake emails that look like official communications from the Internal Revenue Service or other tax agencies. These emails are often phishing schemes designed to trick the reader into providing their login credentials or bank account numbers and passwords. Do not click on the links in these emails; you are taken to site designed to imitate official looking websites with the goal of obtaining your personal information like your Social Security Number, date of birth, et cetera, which could be used to file false tax returns or access your financial account. And then we also see fake charities. Now, criminals frequently exploit natural disasters and other situations like the current pandemic. They set up fake charities to trick people into making donations or provide their personal financial information. Threatening phone calls are another one to watch out for.

Scammers regularly call taxpayers and impersonate the IRS, especially around tax seasons. They claim to be IRS employees and they use aggressive tactics and threats to trick people into paying fake IRS debt. The callers use fake IRS names and bogus IRS badge numbers and they may already know details about their targets. So the calls can come across as being legitimate. Also, they can alter the caller ID to make it look like it really is the Internal Revenue Service calling. Don't fall for it. So let me just give you two examples that have already happened. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid immediately through a preloaded debit card or like a wire transfer. The IRS does not accept payments on preloaded cards or wire transfers. Alternatively, victims may be told they have a refund due. The caller will try to trick you into sharing your bank account number so the refund can be sent to them. The call is fake and the refund is fake, so don't get tricked into providing your personal bank account information. And remember, scammers change tactics. Criminals impersonating Internal Revenue Service agents remain a major threat to taxpayers, so everyone should be alert. There's also a number of scams centered around refund theft.

Most refund fraud stems from identity theft. And once data thieves obtain a taxpayer's data, they use it to file false tax returns and claim fraudulent refunds. And everyone should be aware that non-English speakers are often a target. IRS impersonators and other scammers target groups with Limited English proficiency based on foreign sounding last names, they threatened to bring in local police, immigration officers or other law enforcement to have them arrested for not paying.

And then finally we have bad return preparers, dishonest preparers pop-up every single filing season. They promised inflated refunds by claiming fake tax credits. They talk about education credits or like the earned income tax credit. So if you go to IRS.gov, search for return preparer directory for tips for choosing a qualified tax preparer. So most data thefts begin with an email phishing scam. Now, since phishing emails are one of the most common online threats, it is important to be aware of the signs and know what to do when you receive them. So here are some ways to spot phishing attacks. Emails will arrive in your email box that look authentic. It might match the style used by your company or an external business like a bank. But keep an eye out for emails requesting personal information like your banking details or login credentials. If you think the email isn't genuine, stop, do not click any links and do not provide any information.

Just don't respond to it. Search online for the organization's information and contact them directly. Phishing emails often come from fake addresses that appear to be genuine. Scammers can mask email addresses or simply change one or two characters of a known company. And if you only glance at the sender's email address, it may look real. Take a moment and hover over the address to examine it. That may tell you if it's from a legitimate source or not. Phishing emails are also often poorly written. If you receive an unexpected email from a company but is riddled with mistakes, that's a strong indicator that the email is a phishing email. Be suspicious. Anytime an unexpected email has an attachment, clicking the attachment could install malicious software on your PC or network. Even if you think an attachment is genuine, it's good practice to scan it first using antivirus software. The messages in phishing emails are often designed to make you panic. Like for example, the email may claim that your account was compromised and you need to provide your username and password to verify your account. This is a common tactic and it works because you're more likely to respond quickly without thinking if the situation seems urgent.

Again, stop. Think twice before responding. If you're unsure, contact the company directly to see if it's a legitimate message. So first, don't respond to emails that ask you for personal or financial information or click on links within these emails. Next, you should always use reputable and up-to-date antivirus or anti-spyware software and use the latest version of a web browser. Also, change your passwords often and keep them safe. Select tough security questions to verify accounts and be sure to back up critical personal information on external media. Limit the amount of personal information you make available when using social networks. Nothing is more enticing to a thief than knowing that you will be going on vacation out of state with your family for a few weeks. Ensure the appropriate privacy settings to help prevent social engineering. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov, IRS.gov/IDtheft and StaySafeOnline.org for great information on protecting yourself against identity theft. So what can scammers do with your name, address and your taxpayer identification number once they get it with respect to the Internal Revenue Service? Well, the most common thing they do is to try to electronically file a fraudulent return before you file your own return. Now, in most cases, the legitimate owner of the SSN will be unaware of a tax related identity theft until they try electronically filing their own return and it rejects because the IRS system already shows a return filed for their Social Security Number. If you're unable to file electronically because someone has already filed under your taxpayer identification number, you'll need to mail your return to the Internal Revenue Service and attach Form 14039 Identity Theft Affidavit. The form is available on IRS.gov. The IRS will place your case into the Identity Theft Victim Assistance Program, research and resolve the case, verify your identity, issue any legitimate refund, and place you in the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number Program. And we'll talk more about that a little bit later. Now, the IRS also identifies returns that could potentially be fraudulent returns. And if we believe a return is fraudulent and you could potentially be a victim of identity theft, we will send a letter advising that we have a questionable return with your identifying information on it. Now the letter will ask if the return is yours, if it is your return, we'll ask you to verify your identity by phone, online, or in person. The degree of risk determines the method you will use to verify your identity. Now upon verification will release the legitimate tax refund. If you advise us that the return isn't yours, we'll clear out your tax account so that we'll be able to accept a paper return from you. And in this case, there will be no need to file the Identity Theft Affidavit because we already know you're a victim. Now continuing here, you may receive a notice stating you owe additional tax or collection action may have been taken for a year that you didn't file a return. This is another sign of identity theft and you should immediately respond using the contact information on the notice. There are instances where fraudsters will use your Social Security Number with employers in order to obtain jobs, or they may apply for receive taxable benefits like unemployment compensation from a government agency. The employer or the agency reports the income or taxable benefits to the Internal Revenue Service. We compare it to your file return and then we send you a notice for additional taxes due because the income appears under or unreported. Again, you should immediately respond using the contact information on the notice and then you should notify the employer or agency that issued the information return and explain that someone stole your identity and that you don't work for the employer or you didn't apply for the benefits. Now, if someone received emails from anyone including IRS imposters asking for personal information such as your Social Security Number, banking information and birthdate with respect to the stimulus payments or any other ploy, the message should be forwarded to phishing. That's phishing@IRS.gov. Also, if you are a victim of identity theft, you can use the Federal Trade Commission's one-stop resource for identity theft and reporting and recovery, and that's at www.identitytheft.gov. If a taxpayer experiences a theft of the stimulus payment or a tax refund, either by direct theft or due to a scam such as an IRS imposter by phone, they should contact the Treasury Department's Inspector General Office and you'll see on the screen that's going to be a TIPS.TIGTA.gov. Now during National Security Awareness Week, the IRS encouraged individuals, businesses and tax professionals to secure their sensitive financial data. And with that in mind, let's talk about the Identity Protection PIN or IP PIN. An IP PIN protects a taxpayer's account from fraudulent filing. An IP PIN is a six digit number that prevents someone else from filing a tax return using your Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number electronically. So just continuing on with what the IP PIN is, an electronically filed return filed without your IP PIN or an incorrect IP PIN will reject, including your return and any fraudulent returns using your Social Security Number. Any paper returns filed without your correct IP PIN will undergo additional scrutiny and any fraudulent returns will be removed from your account. If the return verifies to be yours, we will continue to process it. So how can taxpayers prevent scammers from filing false returns, false refund returns with stolen information. So for the last 10 years or so, the IRS has provided Identity Protection PINs. So if a fraudster obtains a taxpayer's personally identifiable information like their Social Security Number and attempts to electronically file or paper file a return to get a fraudulent refund, then as I said, the return will reject and the taxpayer will be able to file electronically or by paper with no processing problems. Now, effective back last year, January of 2021, the Internal Revenue Service now allows taxpayers nationwide to opt into the IP PIN program and we hope that you will. The IP PIN is known only to the taxpayer who can provide it to their tax preparer and to the Internal Revenue Service.

It changes every single year. Each January, taxpayers get a new IP PIN valid for the calendar year. The taxpayer or their trusted tax preparer simply enters a six digit number when prompted by the tax preparation software or on the signature line for a paper return. And also effective January 2021, the service is allowing all taxpayers again, as I said to opt into the IP PIN program and again, we hope that you will take advantage of that. Now I'd like to share and so just a few important reminders and tips about the IP PIN. The IP PIN protects your federal tax account from identity theft and an IP PIN is valid for one calendar year. Each year a new IP PIN is generated for your account. An IP PIN must be used when filing any federal tax returns during the year, including prior-year returns. Never share your IP PIN with anyone other than your tax preparer at the time of filing. If you are unable to enroll online, there are some alternatives, you can use Form 15227, Application for an IP PIN. You can also do an in-person meeting at a local Taxpayer Assistance Office. IP PIN participants must keep their address current, including for their dependents by filing Form 8822 change of address. You can go to www.IRS.gov to secure Publication 5477, All taxpayers are now eligible for Identity Protection PINs to get additional details about the IP PIN. Please and this is so very important, taxpayers should not share their IP PIN with anyone but their trusted tax preparer. No one will call, email or text, certainly not us here at the IRS to request a taxpayer's IP PIN. Thieves try very hard to get the taxpayer's IP PIN. So taxpayers must keep them secure. If a taxpayer opts into the IP PIN program through the online tool, they must return to IRS.gov beginning January each year to get a new IP PIN for filing in the current calendar year. So if a taxpayer forgets or loses their IP PIN, they can always use the online tool to recover it. If the IP PIN is obtained by paper application, the taxpayer will be mailed a new IP PIN around December to use in the next calendar year. So in this scenario, taxpayers should remember to update their addresses with the Internal Revenue Service if they move in using Form 8822. So with that said, I'm going to turn it over to Roy to discuss some tips for businesses. Roy Chaney: Thank you, Ms. Yvette. So let us change our focus over to the business side of things. We do have some quick security tips from the IRS, businesses are at risk for Identity Theft.

Remember, the Security Summit will be issuing a news release focused on what businesses should watch out for as it relates to tax related scams and how to implement safeguards. Now, did you know that more than 70% of cyber-attacks are aimed at businesses with 100 or fewer employees? These thieves may be targeting credit card information, the business identity information, or even employee identity information, as well as cyber criminals may also assume small businesses don't have the security protections for their systems that maybe the larger businesses are equipped with.

Therefore, the IRS and its partners highly recommend that small business owners review and implement the recommendations from the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC's, Cybersecurity for a Small Business at FTC.gov provides some great, easy to understand tips for small businesses. Let's take a look. Here's what that resource looks like on the FTC's website. To find this, all you have to do is go to Federal Trade Commission site at www.FTC.gov. Then enter this phrase in the search box, Cybersecurity for Small Business. You will find these resources which benefit all small business. Now here are a few cybersecurity basics suggested by the FTC to protect your files. One, keep your security software updated. This includes your apps, web browsers, and your operating systems, set updates to happen automatically. Also, secure important files, backup important files offline on an external hard drive or in the cloud, and make sure you store your paper files securely as well. And also require a strong password for all your devices. Use passwords for all laptops, tablets, and even smartphones. Don't leave these devices unattended in public places. You need to encrypt your devices and other media that contain sensitive personal information. This also includes laptops, tablets, smartphones, removable drives, backup tapes, and also cloud storage solutions and use multi-factor authentication. Therefore, as a small business, you should require multi-factor authentication to access areas of your network with sensitive information.

This requires additional steps beyond logging in with a password, like a temporary code on a smartphone or a key that's inserted into a computer. And lastly, have a security plan. Now please see www.FTC.gov/DataBreach and finally, train your staff. Nowadays, one of the most common ways that businesses are attacked by cyber criminals is through a phishing scam. Phishing emails or texts appear to be from someone you know. It could be a vendor, a customer, or even IRS. There are some common traits about these phishing scams. One, they have an urgent message and they ask you to take immediate action. For example, they may say your bank account password has expired, and you must reset it immediately. Second, the scam will also include either a link or an attachment that it asks you to open. Now that link that may take you to a site that looks familiar, but it is part of the scam. If you enter your username and password, it now goes directly to the thief. If the scam includes an attachment, it could secretly download malware when opened. Do not open suspicious emails with links or attachments. We don't want to do that. Now, also businesses should especially be alert to any COVID-19 or tax related phishing email scams that attempt to trick employees into opening embedded links or attachments. If you receive any IRS related scams, they may be sent to phishing@IRS.gov for review. So businesses just like individuals also can be victims of tax related identity theft. Thieves may steal enough information to file a business tax return for a refund or use other scams using the company's identity. The IRS and its partners also are taking additional steps to help protect businesses from tax related identity theft. Starting back in December 13th, 2020, the IRS began masking business tax transcripts. The summary of corporate tax returns to help prevent thieves from obtaining identifiable information that would allow them to file fake business tax returns. Only financial entries are visible. All other information have varying masking rules. For example, only the first four letters of each first and last name of the individuals and businesses are actually displayed. The last four digits of the employer identification number will also be the only numbers visible. Although the scam waxes and wanes, all employers should remain alert to form W-2 theft schemes. In most common version for larger businesses, a thief poses as a high ranking company executive who emails payroll employees and asks for a list of the employees and their W2s. Businesses often don't know they've been scammed until a fraudulent return shows up in an employee's names. There is, however, a special reporting procedure for employers who experience the W-2 scam. It too may be found at Identity Theft Central's business section. Now, the IRS also has publicly launched the Form 14039-B, which is Business Identity Theft Affidavit. This will allow companies to proactively report possible identity theft to the IRS when, for example, the e-filed tax return is rejected. Businesses should file the Form 14039-B if it receives a rejection notice for an electronically filed return, because the return already is on file for that same period. Again, a notice about a tax return that the entity did not file. A notice about Forms W-2 filed with the Social Security Administration that the entity did not file. And lastly, a notice of a balance due that is not owed. This form enables the IRS to respond to the business much faster than in the past and work to resolve these issues created by a fraudulent tax return. Businesses should not use the form if they experience a data breach, but no tax related impact. For more information, see Identity Theft Central's business section. And finally, our Security Summit Partners urge businesses to keep their EIN information current at all times. Changes of address or responsible party may be reported by using Form 8822-B. And just a reminder, changes in responsible party must be reported to the IRS within 60 days. Having the current information can help the IRS find a point of contact to help resolve identity theft and any other issues. The responsible party is defined as the person who ultimately owns or controls the entity. The responsible party, I repeat, the responsible party must be an individual, not an entity. Up until now, we've mentioned Identity Theft Central on IRS.gov a few times, and here's what it looks like above. You can find this page by going to www.IRS.gov and entering the phrase Identity Theft Central right up in the search box. What will you find here?

Well, you'll find some resources for individuals, resources for tax professionals and resources for businesses. These resources can help you avoid becoming a victim of ID theft, and they can help you if you do become a victim of ID theft or data theft. Here we put together some information to know about the IRS in general, so maybe this will help you. The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages, or social media. We initiate most contacts through regular mail delivered by the United States Postal Service. However, there are special circumstances in which the IRS will call or come to a home or a business. For example, IRS Revenue Officers and Revenue Agents make in-person visits at taxpayers homes or businesses if needed. But even in those situations, taxpayers will generally have received several letters or notices from IRS before they're contacted in-person. Also, the IRS won't threaten to bring in local Police or Immigration Officers or other law enforcement to have you arrested for not paying.

The IRS can't, I repeat, cannot revoke your driver's license, business licenses or immigration status. Threats like these are common tactics used by the scam artist to trick victims. The IRS will never ask you to make a payment using a prepaid debit card, gift card, or wire transfer. And finally, the service will never call or email you asking for user IDs or your passwords. Anika, that's all I have for right now. So I'll go ahead and turn it back over to you. Anika Pompey: All right. Thank you so much Yvette and Roy, that was a lot of great valuable information that you've shared during this presentation. So I just want to say hello again to the audience. It's me, Anika Pompey, and I am moderating the Q&A session. So before we start with the Q&A session, I want to thank everyone for attending today's presentation, Internal Revenue Service and International Association of Better Business Bureau, Incorporated present: Scams and Tax Related Identity Theft for Individuals and Businesses. Now, if you recall earlier I mentioned we want to know what questions you have for our presenters, and here's your opportunity. If you haven't input your question, there's still some time. So go ahead and click on the dropdown arrow next to the Ask Question field and type in your question and click send. Yvette and Roy are going to stay on with us to answer some questions. And one thing before we get started, I do want to note that we may not have time to answer all the questions submitted, but we will answer as many as time allows. So let's go ahead and get started so we can get to as many questions as possible. Okay, Yvette, I'm going to start with you. This question looks like this, you covered this topic. The question is, can I opt out of the IP PIN after I requested it? Yvette-Brook Williams: Thank you, Anika. So unfortunately I was researching a little bit and there is currently no opt out option, but the IRS is working on it. Not sure when that's going to happen, but it's a great question. And then hopefully we'll have some concrete answer for that question soon. Anika Pompey: All right. Thank you for that response. Okay, so Yvette, I'm going to throw another question at you. This is actually a three part question. So, first, how do I get an IP PIN for my children or dependents?

How long would it take to get one and how can I apply for an IP PIN number? Yvette-Brook Williams: Another great question. So how to get an IP PIN number? The fastest way to receive an IP PIN is by using the online Get an IP PIN tool. If you wish to get an IP PIN and you don't already have an account on IRS.gov, you must register to validate your identity. The IP PIN tool is generally available starting in mid-January through mid-November. So if you go on to excuse me, IRS.gov/IPPIN, it'll take you right to the page and there is a button that you just click on it.

It says, Get an IP PIN and you could do that for yourself and or your dependent. Anika Pompey: All right. Thank you for that response. Okay, so it looks like the next question that I have coming in is about business security. So Roy, I'm going to send this one your way. Where would you find security tips or risks for small businesses? Roy Chaney: Thank you Miss Anika. You would probably be able to find this information as we discussed earlier at www.FTC.gov, as well as www.IRS.gov.

Both of these will lead you to excellent information to assist you in fighting your cybercrimes.

Anika Pompey: All right. Thank you for that response. It looks like I have one more for you, Roy.

So here's a question. As a business owner, how can I protect my customer files against cyber security issues? Roy Chaney: Well, you can. Number one, you can keep your security software updated. So that's a main point. You also need to secure all of your important files and you need to stress to your employees as well as all business personnel that they need to require strong passwords for all devices and use multi-factor authentication. This all in turn together will assist in fighting cybersecurity crimes and help secure personal identifying information. Anika Pompey: All right, Roy. Thank you for that response. Yvette, let's come back to you. It looks like we have another question on the topic you've covered. So the question is, I've been trying to get an appointment with the IRS, but I've been unsuccessful. I really need some assistance and need to speak to a live person. Do you have any suggestions? Yvette-Brook Williams: Thank you, Anika. So, yes, it's frustrating when you can't get in touch with us, and it's frustrating for us when we can't answer and respond to our customers and our taxpayers. So the Internal Revenue Service is committed to providing meaningful service and assistance to meet our taxpayer's needs. Many IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers across the country will open one Saturday each month in February, March, April, and May from 9:00 a.m. in the morning until 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon to offer in-person assistance without an appointment. Now, normally the TACs are open weekdays by appointment, but it sounded like you said you couldn't get an appointment. So my suggestion would be to visit us during one of these Saturdays we have open each month. And again, that's each one Saturday of the month of February, March, April and May from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Anika Pompey: All right, Yvette. Thank you so much. That looks, is great information there. Looks like I have one more question for you. What is the form used to report a fraudulent tax preparer? Yvette-Brook Williams: The form used to report a fraudulent tax preparer. So the way to report preparer misconduct you can report it misconduct to the IRS by using Form 14157, complaint about tax return preparer. Now, if you suspect that a tax return preparer has filed or changed your tax information without your consent, a taxpayer should file Form 14157-A, Tax Return Preparer Fraud or Misconduct Affidavit, and both of these forms are available on the Make a Complaint About a Tax Return Preparer page of IRS.gov. Anika Pompey: Thank you so much for that information. All right. It looks like I have a question here that, Roy, you can probably address this question for me. What are some characteristics of phishing scams? Roy Chaney: That's a great question. Some characteristics of phishing scams, they generally show the following. They're usually in the form of an email or a text, so that's something you want to look for. They usually require an urgent response, immediate, I need to respond right now. And they also usually use, there's a link within the email or the text to request for your personal information. And then lastly, there could be an attachment within the email and that attachment could possibly implant maybe a malware for a virus. So these are things that you want to be aware of and take a look at and always keep in mind. Anika Pompey: All right, Roy. Thank you for that. So it looks like, I might have one more question for you. So, when should you file Form 14039-B? Roy Chaney: Well, you should file Form 10439-B when A, there's a rejection on an e-file return that has already been filed. So you filed it and now it's rejected. B, a notice about a tax return, but the entity didn't file, so that should raise a red flag. Also, a notice about W-2s, the entity didn't file that should also raise a red flag and a notice of a balanced due that's not owed because obviously you, what you didn't file, that should also raise a red flag. So when those red flags are raised and you've lost some taxpayer identifying information, you should file the Form 14039-B. Anika Pompey: Roy, thank you so much.

It looks like I have another question coming in. Yvette, we have another IP PIN question. So here we go. What if you cannot find the letter with the IP PIN number? It looks like the letter is not being sent to the taxpayer address. So when the client calls the IRS, they say that they sent it out, but they still haven't received it. And we they went to an IRS office and they couldn't get the IP PIN. So the client sent return in the mail and it took nine months to process. So what else can the client do to get that number? Yvette-Brook Williams: This is a great question and a common one. So if we issued you an IP PIN and you lost it or you didn't receive a new one in the mail, you'll need to obtain your IP PIN before you can e-file your return, right? So you may use our Get an IP PIN online tool to retrieve your current IP PIN. If you don't already have an account on IRS.gov, you will be asked to register for an account and validate your identity. Now, if you previously created an account, you just need to access, Get an IP PIN and log into your account, you may be required to verify your identity again, due to our increase account security.

And if you're unable to retrieve your IP PIN online, you may call us at 1-800-908-4490 for specialized assistance. You can call that number Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM your local time to have your IP PIN reissued to you, and the system will verify your identity and mail your IP PIN to your address of record within 21 days. Again, that number is 1-800-908-4490 and you can call that number Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM your local time. Anika Pompey: Thank you so much, Yvette. Hopefully that information will help a lot of people who need to obtain their IP PIN. Okay, so it looks like I have a few more questions that are related to businesses. So Roy, I'm going to throw this question your way. As a business owner, why do I need to keep my EIN information current? Roy Chaney: Well, that's a pretty simple question. You should, all businesses should always keep their EIN information current, so that it can assist IRS in conducting identity theft investigation. So the Service now has a point of contact where, who we need to contact in order to retrieve that information. Anika Pompey: Thanks, Roy. All right. So it looks like I got one more question for you now. What is the purpose of Form 8822-B? Roy Chaney: Well, again, pretty simple. As a business, you should use Form 8822-B to inform IRS of a change in responsible party or principal officer. And remember, this needs to be completed within 60 days and as well, you can also use it, utilize it to change your address for a business as well. Anika Pompey: Okay, thank you Roy for that response. That's some great information. All right, Yvette, it looks like I have another IP PIN question for you. Can you use the current IP PIN for previous year's tax return? Yvette-Brook Williams: Thank you, Anika. So for, can one use the current IP PIN for previous year's tax return? Is that the question? Anika Pompey: Yes, that is the question.

Yvette-Brook Williams: Okay. So, yes. So while you can't use last year's IP PIN for this year's return, if you are filing a previous year tax return, you will use your current IP PIN. Anika Pompey: All right, thank you. Yvette-Brook Williams: And before you go on, I just want to add something about the Saturday, the Saturday Service questions that I responded to. I wanted to actually give the dates. So the Saturdays were February 11th, which is already passed. So the next dates are March 11th, April 8th and May the 13th. So if someone would go on and just click, go to IRS.gov and in the search bar, just type in Saturday service, you can get information on those dates that we have available. Anika Pompey: Okay. Yes, that's some really great information for those, who are seeking some assistance and aren't able to do appointments throughout the week. So, it looks like I have one more IP PIN question for you. Well, before I move on to this question, can you provide more clarification for an IP PIN for a minor? Yvette-Brook Williams: Absolutely.

So, we've had this question before. How can I get an IP PIN for a minor? So while individuals under the age of 18 are not allowed access to use the system, you can still request it by mail using Form 15227 application for an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number, or in-person you may make an appointment for an in-person meeting at a local taxpayer assistance center. And Saturday assistance is just another option. Anika Pompey: Okay, great. All right, so, Roy, it looks like I have one more question for you. What are some of the ways the IRS won't take action? So what are the red flags to, I'm sorry, what are some of the ways that IRS, that is won't take action, and what are the red flags to look for? Roy Chaney: Thank you. Actually, Anika, that's a great question. So couple of things that we won't do normally, we won't request any of your login credentials, your Social Security Numbers or other sensitive information over the phone. We won't ask for a credit or debit card or other financial account information over the phone. Again, we won't threaten to bring in police, the immigration or other agencies to have you arrested. We won't do any of these things under normal circumstances, but if you are dealing with the collection department or our exam divisions, it may occur that they may ask you, during a phone conversation for this information, but it won't immediately come out over the phone. You'll have to want to give it to us. Anika Pompey: Okay, thank you. Hopefully that information was helpful for the audience. It looks like the IP PIN is definitely a popular topic today. So Yvette, I'm going to throw this one at you. Do I need to request an IP PIN number each year? Yvette-Brook Williams: Another great question, Anika and no, the answer is no. A new IP PIN will be generated each year. So from mid-December through early January, CP01A notices are sent to taxpayers eligible to receive an IP PIN. Anika Pompey: All right. Okay, so one more IP PIN question for you.

So can a parent use ID.me to apply for an IP PIN for a dependent child under 18? Yvette-Brook Williams: So, as alluded to in a prior question about the IP PIN, no, ID.me does not verify individuals who are under the age of 18. Again, if you are under the age of 18, and need to verify your identity to access the IRS, please refer to the alternative options found at the bottom of the application login page within a, what if I can't verify my identity section? Anika, are you there? Anika Pompey: I am so sorry. So yes, it looks like those, I'm just, I was just checking for more questions. My apologies. But it looks, it looks like that may be all, let me just double check. All right, so, okay. I'm sorry, I've got one more for you. If I opted in to get an IP PIN, how do I get the IP PIN? Yvette-Brook Williams: So the IP PIN and that's a great question. The IP PIN is, if you already opted in to get one, they are issued automatically annually. So if you opted in to receive the IP PIN, you'll just need to go back online to retrieve that PIN at the end of December. And those who were issued an IP PIN by IRS, the IRS will automatically generate the IP PIN for you. Anika Pompey: Awesome. Thank you for that information. So, audience, it looks like that's all the time that we have for questions. I do want to thank our presenters for sharing their knowledge and expertise and for answering your questions. Before we close the Q&A session, Yvette and Roy, what are some key points, you want our attendees to remember from today's webinar?

Yvette-Brook Williams: I'm sorry you guys can't hear me if I'm on mute. So some of the key points are that IRS does not initiate contact by email, text messages, or social media to ask for personal or financial data. Annual list of the top Dirty Dozen tax scams. You can find out on IRS.gov/DirtyDozen, as it refers to tax scams, how to report them, you could just go to IRS.gov/scams, spot phishing emails, IRS.gov/phishing, Identity Theft Central for individual and businesses. You can go to IRS.gov/IDtheft. Know the signs of tax related identity theft.

Identitytheft.gov is your one-stop resource, report scams and theft to the appropriate authorities. And you can use phishing@IRS.gov and you could also go to TIPS.TIGTA.gov. The IP PIN helps to prevent identity theft, and you can find more information about IP PINs at IRS.gov/IPPIN and remember, do not share your IP PIN with anyone except your preparer at the time you're getting your return prepared. Roy, let me turn it over to you for your key points. Roy Chaney: Thank you, Ms. Yvette. Here are some more key points. Know the signs of possible dishonest and or not legitimate tax preparers. Protect your business, Cybersecurity for Small Businesses. Remember to use FTC.gov, report business identity theft. We want to use Form 14039-B. We want to report a data loss related to a W2 or a Social Security Number, data theft at dataloss@IRS.gov. Keep your EIN information current. That's especially an important one. Again, information on the Security Summit, you can find at IRS.gov/SecuritySummit. And lastly, IRS has publications available to help you stay safe. We have Publication 4524, Security Awareness for Taxpayers. We have publication 5027 ID theft information for taxpayers, we have Publication 5367, IP PIN Opt-in Program Flyer. We have Publication 5477, IP PIN Opt-in Program Poster. We also have Publication 5709, How to Create a Written Information Security Plan for Data Safety. And lastly, Publication 4557, Safeguarding Taxpayer Data, A Guide for Your Business. That's all I have for today. Anika, back to you. Anika Pompey: Thank you so much, Yvette and Roy for those key points. Audience, we are planning additional webinars throughout the year. To register for all upcoming webinars, please visit IRS.gov and do a keyword search for Webinars and select the Webinars for Tax Practitioners or Webinars for Small Businesses. When appropriate, we will offer certificates and continuing education credits for upcoming webinars. We invite you to visit our video portal at www.IRSvideos.gov.

There you can view archived versions of our webinars. Please note continuing education credits or certificates of completion are not offered if you view any version of our webinars after the live broadcast. Again, a big thank you to Yvette and Roy for providing a great webinar, sharing their expertise and answering our questions. I also want to thank you, our attendees for attending today's webinar, Internal Revenue Service and International Association of Better Business Bureaus Incorporated present: Scams and Tax Related Identity Theft for Individuals and Businesses. We would appreciate it if you would take a few minutes to complete a short evaluation before you exit. If you'd like to have more sessions like this one, let us know. If you have thoughts on how to make them better, please let us know that as well. If you have requests for future webinar topics or pertinent information you'd like to see in an IRS Fact Sheet, Tax Tip, or FAQ on IRS.gov, then please include your suggestions in the comment section of the survey. Click the survey button on the screen to begin. If it doesn't come up, check to make sure your popup blocker is disabled. Click the materials dropdown arrow on the left side of your screen to download several technical documents for Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari for Mac that describe how you can disable pop-up blockers based on the browser you are using. It has been a pleasure to be here with you. And on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service and our presenters, we would like to thank you for attending today's webinar. It's important for the IRS to stay connected with the tax professional community, individual taxpayers, industry associations, along with federal, state, and local government organizations. You make our job a lot easier by sharing the information that allows for proper tax reporting. Thanks again for taking time out of your day to attend today's webinar. We hope you found the information helpful. You may exit the webinar at this time.