[From NADA] In the aftermath of the CDK cyber incident, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued a reminder to auto dealers to be on the lookout for any new phishing scam attempts.   

Fraudsters and identity thieves attempt to trick the recipient into clicking a suspicious link, filling out personal and financial information or downloading a malware file onto their computer. Scammers are relentless in their attempts to obtain sensitive financial and personal information, and impersonating the IRS remains a favorite tactic. The IRS urges auto dealerships to be extra cautious about unsolicited messages and avoid clicking any links in an unsolicited email or text if they are uncertain.

Businesses should remain alert for targeted email and text scams aimed to disrupt their computer systems. These messages arrive in the form of unsolicited texts or emails to lure unsuspecting victims to provide valuable information that can lead to identity theft or malicious malware installed on computer systems.

In some cases, phishing emails appear to come from a legitimate sender or organization that has had their email account credentials stolen. Setting up two-factor or multi-factor authentication with their email provider will reduce the risk of individuals having their email account compromised.

Individuals and businesses should verify the identity of the sender by using another communication method, for instance, calling a number they independently know to be accurate, not the number provided in the email or text.

What to do:

Read the full release of the IRS’ reminder to auto dealers about protection against scamming.