Be Aware of Tax-Related Scams

“Don’t invest and forget.” This is a common sentiment that advisors try to communicate to their clients. We understand the importance of having a solid financial plan, but the plan doesn’t serve you if you set it and then don’t check in with it for years. A financial plan is a living and breathing document. As your life changes, so should your plan because those life changes can cause changes in your goals and your risks.

As you start your adult life, risks are generally low, and timeframes are typically long. You may be single, you may be renting. Should you hit some rough times, not that much may be rocked. This also applies to your investments. If there is a market shake-up, you have plenty of time to wait for the market to correct itself. Therefore, this is the time to be aggressive on your way to financial independence.

However, as your life changes, so does your risk. Perhaps you get married and start a family. Perhaps you buy a house or maybe you start a business. Suddenly, there is more at stake, there is more to lose. Additionally, while there is more at stake, there is less time. There is less time to save, less time to recoup any losses. These changes undoubtedly influence our decisions and our behavior in the market.

This change in risk isn’t done with the flip of a switch. Everyone’s life is different, hitting different life milestones at different times, starting to work towards financial independence at different places and having different goals to work towards. Therefore, computing risk, can be a gradual and complicated process. Working with a financial advisor can help you know when and how to change your risk so that you can steadily work towards the future and protect what you have today.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

CryptoChameleon is a phishing-as-a-service kit that makes it easier than ever for cybercriminals to create convincing phishing campaigns. Criminals often use it to impersonate reputable companies to steal passwords, account information, and other sensitive data.

A recent scam using CryptoChameleon targets LastPass, a popular password manager. Scammers pretend to be from LastPass, starting with seemingly authentic support calls. They later send follow-up emails with links to fake login pages, designed to look like legitimate LastPass sites. Once victims enter their master passwords on these fraudulent pages, scammers can access their password vaults and potentially lock them out of their accounts.

Reputable companies will never ask for your master passwords through phone calls, emails, or text messages. To protect yourself from these scams, remember to:

• Hang up immediately if you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from LastPass or another reputable company.
• Do not press any options in automated messages or clicking on links in emails from unfamiliar sources.
• Report suspicious activity to the reputable company, including screenshots of suspect text messages and forwarded emails.