Editor's note: This article appeared in The Corporate Counselor, an ALM publication covering the latest changes in business regulatory climates for corporate counsel, in-house counsel and managing partners. Visit the website to learn more.

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.

While phishing scams can be hard to predict and prevent, companies can educate their HR and payroll departments to help avoid falling victim to these types of schemes. Moreover, appropriate training can help employees identify and stop the most common types of phishing scams. Finally, even if the scam succeeds, there are steps a company can take to prepare a prompt and effective response to affected individuals.