Beware the W-2 Phishing Scam

In 2016, numerous businesses fell victim to a surge of phishing scams involving W-2 forms. In response, the IRS sent a broad consumer alert regarding these schemes after seeing an approximate 400% surge in phishing and malware attacks during the 2016 season. As the tax filing season ramps up for 2017, we have already seen a number of successful attempts to obtain W-2 forms from unsuspecting employees.

14 minute read March 02, 2017 at 12:01 AM
By
Patrick H. Haggerty and Kathryn C. Mellinger
Beware the W-2 Phishing Scam

In 2016, numerous businesses fell victim to a surge of phishing scams involving W-2 forms. In response, the IRS sent a broad consumer alert regarding these schemes after seeing an approximate 400% surge in phishing and malware attacks during the 2016 season.

This premium content is locked for LawJournalNewsletters subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN LawJournalNewsletters

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

Why advanced AI will change legal practice without making lawyers obsolete.The future value of lawyers will come less from generating first drafts and more from knowing how to choose, feed, test and deploy professional systems in a way that serves the client’s strategy.

June 30, 2026

Companies are no longer judging leaders on what they have already done. They are judging them on whether they can lead what is coming next. And what is coming next demands exactly the quality that defined the Oregon Trail generation: the ability to navigate genuine transformation, not just manage through disruption.

June 30, 2026

The legal industry is going through the same leadership reckoning playing out across the Fortune 1000. The pioneers are already on the far side of the river. The settlers are crossing. And the stragglers are still deciding whether to go. Which camp are you in? And more importantly, who are you learning from right now?

June 30, 2026