Have you received a message about pandemic-related benefits that appears to be from the government? Thieves use email, text, and phone messages to impersonate officials such as the IRS as an inroad to stealing personal data. They may use a crisis, such as the pandemic, to craft their phishing messages and trick you into clicking links or opening attachments. If you take the bait, they may be able to upload malware to your computer and gain access to your personal data. Scams vary, but the IRS warns that they generally have two common traits: 1) They appear to come from a trusted source, and 2) they tell a story that urges you to take their desired action. Contact Cg with questions. © 2021