BIR uncovers electronic filing scam

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has uncovered a new scam luring electronic tax filers to unwittingly reveal their trade secret to fraudsters.

It was not immediately known how many taxpayers filing their returns via the electronic filing and payment system (eFPS) have been victimized by tricksters.

BIR Deputy Commissioner for Information System Lanee David advised taxpayers to be extra careful and check the actual email address of the BIR, or simply ignore such false messages.

Ms. David said she has already ordered an investigation to protect and maintain the integrity of the electronic filing system.

One such fake email was sent to a Quezon City businessman advising him “this email indicated that your e-filing account has been suspended. Please follow the link to reactivate your EFPS account.”

The message instructed him to click and link his email to a fake website.

The fraud is commonly referred to as “phishing” which is defined by Wikipedia as “an attempt to obtain sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details (and indirectly money), often for malicious reasons, by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.”

BIR sources believe that the scam is the work of a business rival or a disgruntled employee of the taxpayer to seriously inconvenience him.