It’s February in Salt Lake City. Your ops manager is running inventory. The bookkeeper is prepping reports. HR is pulling W-2s. And the CNC floor is business as usual.
But there’s something you didn’t schedule on the production calendar: cybercriminals.
Because this is the season when one of the most damaging cyber scams hits manufacturing companies hard. And it always shows up before April.
The W-2 Scam: How It Works
It usually starts like this:
Someone on your team—usually in payroll or HR—gets an email that looks like it's from the CEO, operations director, or owner.
The message is short and urgent:
"Hey, I need copies of all employee W-2s for a meeting with our accountant. Can you send them over this morning? I'm slammed."
It feels normal. The tone fits. It’s tax season, so the request doesn’t raise flags.
So they send the files.
But the email wasn't from the CEO. It was from a threat actor using a spoofed address or look-alike domain.
Now that cybercriminal has:
- Full names
- Social Security numbers
- Addresses
- Salaries
Everything they need for identity theft. Everything they need to file fake tax returns before your employees do.
What Happens Next
Usually, no one finds out until your employees try to file their taxes. And the IRS rejects the return: "This Social Security number already filed."
The refund? Already claimed by a scammer.
Now you’ve got a team of machinists, office staff, and engineers in identity theft mode—paperwork, credit alerts, fraud claims.
And you have to explain how it happened.
That’s not just a tech problem. That’s a trust issue. A morale killer. And in some cases? A legal mess.
Why This Scam Works So Well
This isn’t some sloppy spam email. It works because:
- Timing is perfect. W-2s move fast this time of year. No one questions why they’re being asked for.
- The request is plausible. It’s not a wire transfer or gift cards. It’s a real part of the tax-season workflow.
- The tone is convincing. Criminals do research. They copy your execs' writing style. They even use fake email domains that look nearly identical.
- Employees want to be helpful. Especially to the boss. Urgency overrides caution.
If your Salt Lake City manufacturing company isn’t trained to spot this scam, you’re vulnerable.
How to Protect Your Salt Lake City Manufacturing Business
The good news? You don’t need fancy software. You need common sense, clear policies, and a little coaching.
- No W-2s via Email. Ever.
Set this policy now: sensitive payroll data doesn’t move by email. Full stop. Not for the CEO. Not for anyone. It’s not negotiable.
- Require Secondary Verification for Any Sensitive Request
If someone asks for W-2s, even if it looks 100% legit, require confirmation through another channel: phone, in-person, Slack, Teams. Do not hit reply.
- Hold a 10-Minute Tax Scam Huddle
Don’t wait for it to happen. Gather HR and payroll this week. Say: "Here’s what these scams look like. Here’s our policy. Here's what to do."
- Lock Down Access to Payroll Systems
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on anything touching employee data. If someone’s login gets phished, MFA is your final wall.
- Create a Culture of Verification
Praise the employee who double-checks. Don’t make them feel silly for asking questions. Verification should be a reflex, not a burden.
Five steps. Simple enough to implement this week. Solid enough to block the most common tax-season scam.
Bigger Picture: More Tax Season Threats Are Coming
This W-2 scam is just the first wave. Between now and April, expect more:
- Fake IRS emails demanding immediate action
- Phishing messages disguised as QuickBooks or accounting software updates
- Malicious links claiming to be from your accountant
- Bogus invoices designed to pass as tax-related charges
Scammers love this time of year. People are busy. Financial documents are flying. And your team is heads-down on production.
Salt Lake City manufacturers who get through tax season clean aren’t lucky. They’re prepared.
They have rules. They have training. And they have local managed IT services that specialize in manufacturing.
Is Your Manufacturing Business Ready?
If you’ve already got the right policies, solid email filtering, and a team that knows the red flags—good. You’re ahead of most.
If not? Now is the time.
Qual IT helps Salt Lake City manufacturing companies lock down their systems, protect sensitive data, and train their people to spot scams before they hit.
Book a free network assessment. We’ll take a look at:
- Your email filtering and spoofing protections
- MFA on HR and payroll platforms
- Your data handling and verification policies
Click here to book your free network assessment. Don’t let tax season become breach season.
