2024 online eFiling warning

Tax experts are warning of 2024 online eFiling hacking, and here are the precautions you can take to protect your SARS profile, reports Daily Investor. 2024 tax season opens in only a few weeks’ time on Monday 15 July 2024. SARS auto-assessment notices will be sent out from 1 July 2024 to all those who are eligible.

The season runs till Monday 21 October 2024 for non-provisional taxpayers and Monday 20 January 2025 for provisional taxpayers. Click HERE for an explanation on the differences between the two. And click HERE to fully maximise your tax claim if you have a home office.

2024 ONLINE EFILING WARNING

The South African Revenue Service can only do so much to protect your profile against hackers. You must be proactive. Image: File

However, Tax Consulting SA’s Sidney Fletcher has sounded the alarm bell over 2024 online eFiling hackers and scammers. This comes as opportunists identify new and innovative ways of trying to take advantage of the annual tax season. As a result, tax authorities recommend you use SARS eFiling or the SARS MobiApp directly to handle your affairs. If a third party is doing your tax for you, meet them in person and avoid doing any business over the phone or email in which important data can be hijacked.

SARS eFiling profile hacking is on rise. Fraudsters are gaining unauthorised access to taxpayer and tax practitioner profiles. The prevalence of these profile hijackings is only expected to surge from July 2024 onwards as the wide tax window opens up. “Cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities in eFiling security protocols to alter login details and banking information to claim fraudulent refunds against taxpayer accounts,” says Fletcher.

BOGUS REFUNDS

The promise of bogus refunds is one of the easiest ways hackers and scammers can gain access to your SARS profile. Image: File

In particular, taxpayers awaiting refunds are prime targets for scammers. They will receive a legitimate-looking communique asking for login/password info to gain access to your profile. Therefore, taxpayers and practitioners must take proactive steps to protect their own data. Here’s what you can do:

• Have a strong password and consider using multi-factor authentication for added security.
• Keep your SARS contact details updated so any old data that may have been hacked previously is no longer applicable. And so SARS can alert you immediately of any nefarious activity on your account.
• Alert SARS of any suspicious activity on your eFiling profile.
• Don’t share access to your eFiling profile unless absolutely necessary.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Time to have your say. Are you concerned about tax scammers in 2024? Image: File

Will you use 2024 online eFiling and are you concerned you may be hacked? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. And don’t forget to follow us @TheSANews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest updates.