On March 28, 2017, the IRS warned schools, universities, government entities and tax a-exempt organizations of a dangerous email scam currently circulating nationwide and targeting employers.  According to the IRS, the scammer poses as an internal executive requesting employee Forms W-2 and Social Security Number information from payroll or human resources departments.  They may even send an initial “Hi, are you in today” message before the request.

To help combat these scams, the IRS has established a process that will allow employers and payroll service providers to quickly report any data losses related to the W-2 scam.  If notified in time, the IRS can take steps to prevent employees from being victimized by identity thieves filing fraudulent returns in their names. The IRS also provides information about how to report receiving the scam email even if you did not fall victim.  See details at Form W-2/SSN Data Theft: Information for Businesses and Payroll Service Providers.