2020 – 08/13 You’ve probably heard of a scam called ransomware. The IRS describes it as an invasive software that targets “human and technical weakness to infect a potential victim’s computer, network or server.” It may be downloaded accidently by opening a link or attachment, such as an email solicitation for a fake COVID-19 charity. Once infected, ransomware looks for and locks up critical or sensitive data and can bring your computer to a halt. That’s why the IRS has included this cybercrime on the 2020 list of worst scams, called the “Dirty Dozen.” The IRS advises taxpayers to use multi-factor authentication to protect yourself from data theft. For more information:
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