Tax season is here, and this week, our office issued a Consumer Alert to warn Floridians of a new phishing tactic that could wreak havoc on people preparing their taxes.

The tactic, called conversation hijacking, involves scammers accessing an ongoing email conversation and sending a new message containing a malicious link or attachment—giving the appearance that the message is from a trusted source. Victims clicking on the link or opening the attachment are then prompted to provide personal information that could be used to submit fraudulent tax returns.

Floridians should remain cautious. Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments that seem suspicious. Never share passwords or login information with anybody. Change passwords frequently—using numbers and special characters.

For more tips to guard against conversation hijacking scams, click here.

As technology evolves, so do the methods scammers use to bypass security and trick users into compromising sensitive information. Conversation hijacking attacks are just the latest trick being used to steal people’s identities and access their financial information.

As Attorney General, I will work with our Consumer Protection Division to stay ahead of the trends and technologies scammers use to commit identity theft and steal from Floridians.

Please take steps to protect your personal and financial information. If you encounter a scam, please report it to my office by visiting MyFloridaLegal.com or calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM.