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The Internal Revenue Service issued a warning about a fairly sophisticated new phishing scam. Phishing, a technique where a malefactor impersonates someone (in this case the IRS,) in an effort to steal sensitive information such as user names, passwords and account numbers.

Data breaches have been in the news of late. They range from seemingly minor incidents to those which affected hundreds of thousands of customers at companies

Some taxpayers receive emails that appear to be from the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) about a tax refund. These emails are a phishing scam, trying to trick victims into providing personal and financial information.

 Do not respond or click any link. If you receive this scam, forward it to phishing@irs.gov and note that it seems to be a scam phishing for your information.

TAP is a volunteer board that advises the IRS on systemic issues affecting taxpayers. It never requests, and does not have access to, any taxpayer’s personal and financial information.

Q: I am fed up and frustrated trying to keep—and remember passwords that are both complex and creative. This is frustrating and I am at my wit's end. What can I do to make it easier for me to remember but more secure against attacks? -Mary Kay C, Business Executive, Brookpark, Ohio

 Cybersecurity. What if I said I can give you five security tips you can implement in five minutes that will help greatly mitigate the risk of your home or business computer system from becoming a target for cybercriminals?  Yes, it can be that easy! 


While there are certainly savvy hackers out there, the reality is many breaches of security stem from common, no-cost proactive measures that most overlook.

Here are our top five:

Classic Hackers: What War Games Taught us About Technology in the Workplace