It’s March.
Your accountant is buried in paperwork. Your bookkeeper is racing deadlines. Emails are multiplying faster than anyone can process. Everyone’s head is down, trying to survive the month.
None of this surprises you.
But it doesn’t surprise hackers either.
Every year, researchers see a major spike in phishing attempts during tax season — with March showing roughly a 28% increase in tax‑themed scam emails compared to slower months. The messages aren’t flashy or dramatic. They’re designed to blend in perfectly with the chaos of everyday business.
That’s not coincidence.
That’s strategy.
Here’s what to expect — and four simple ways to avoid becoming the easy target.
The Stressed Supply Chain
Here’s what most people miss:
Hackers don’t just target accounting firms.
They target everyone orbiting the accounting workflow.
During tax season:
- Clients rush to send sensitive documents
- Staff cut corners to keep up
- “Just send me the file” becomes the new normal
- Verification steps get skipped because everyone is drowning
Everything moves faster.
And fast is where mistakes happen.
Cybercriminals don’t attack calm, methodical teams.
They attack busy ones.
And March is busy.
What These Attacks Look Like in Real Life
These aren’t Hollywood‑style hacks.
They’re emails that look exactly like business as usual:
- A message from “your accountant” asking you to resend W‑2s
- A vendor claiming their banking details have changed
- A DocuSign request with a “time‑sensitive tax form”
- An urgent email from “your CEO” who’s traveling
None of these raise red flags on a stressful day.
They feel normal.
That’s why they work.
Why Busy People Fall for Scams
This isn’t about intelligence or carelessness.
It’s about cognitive overload.
When inboxes pile up and deadlines loom, people don’t analyze — they skim. They assume. They respond quickly so they can move on.
Scammers count on that.
A well‑timed fake email doesn’t need to be brilliant.
It just needs to land when someone is too overwhelmed to notice the one detail that’s off.
And in March, nearly everyone is overwhelmed.
Four Simple Ways to Avoid Being the Easy Target
The good news: you don’t need expensive tools or a dedicated security team.
Just a few deliberate habits during busy seasons.
1. Verify payment changes by phone
If a vendor emails new banking info, do not reply to the email.
Call a known number and confirm.
This one habit prevents some of the costliest business scams.
2. Slow down requests for sensitive information
Urgency should raise suspicion, not speed.
If someone asks for tax documents “right now,” pause and verify.
A real sender will understand.
A scammer won’t.
3. Double‑check urgent requests using another channel
If an email says something must happen immediately, confirm through:
- A phone call
- A text
- An internal chat
Real urgency survives a two‑minute verification.
Fake urgency doesn’t.
4. Give your team a five‑minute reminder
This week, tell your staff:
“Tax season is peak scam season. Slow down, double-check, and ask questions.”
Sometimes, people just need permission to hit the brakes.
The Takeaway
Tax season is stressful enough without adding “we fell for a scam” to the mix.
The cyberattacks rising this month aren’t especially clever — they’re simply well‑timed.
They rely on busyness.
They rely on assumptions.
They rely on people trying to push through March as fast as possible.
You don’t need an overhaul to stay safe.
You just need to slow down at the right moments and verify before reacting.
Often, that’s all it takes.
A Quick Busy‑Season Sanity Check
Your business may already have strong habits in place — and if so, great.
But if March tends to push your team into reactive mode, or if you’re not sure how well people handle “urgent” requests under pressure, a quick 10‑minute discovery call could help bring clarity.
No pressure.
No scare tactics.
Just a practical look at simple habits that prevent big headaches.
If this doesn’t sound like your business, forward it to someone it does.
Book your 10‑minute discovery call here.
