ALERT: Very Convincing AICPA Email Phishing Scam
February 23, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Today I received an email from the AICPA, American Institute of CPAs, informing me that my CPA license was being revoked. I do not have a CPA license. The email from Charlotte Schroeder <alert@aicpa.org> read as follows:
Dear AICPA member,
We have been notified of your recent involvement in tax return fraudulent activity on behalf of one of your employees. According to AICPA Bylaw Section 600 your Certified Public Accountant status can be terminated in case of the aiding of presenting of a misguided or fraudulent tax return on the member’s or a client’s behalf.
Please find the complaint below below and provide your feedback to it within 21 days. The failure to do so within this term will result in suspension of your Accountant license.
There was a link to file a complaint. I quelled my immediate reaction to defend my honor and did some research. At AICPA website, I found a front page link to the story of the phishing scam which just broke Thursday, February 16, 2012. Yes, just last week.
RULE # 1 Never click a link in an email from an unknown sender until you have searched the web for verification. If there is a link in an email there should be directions to do the same tasks through the actual website. Then Google “Company Name” and “Scam”. You’ll know all you need to.
