Why March Is Prime Time for Cyber Scams And How Vancouver Businesses Can Stay Protected
It’s March.
Your accountant is buried. Your bookkeeper is scrambling. Deadlines are looming. Emails are flying faster than anyone can keep up.
Everyone’s head is down, just trying to get through the month.
This isn’t news to you.
But it isn’t news to hackers either.
Across the industry, cybersecurity teams consistently see a spike in phishing attempts during tax season, research shows March brings roughly a 28% increase in tax‑themed scam emails compared to quieter months. These attacks don’t look dramatic. They look like everyday business requests, landing when people are busiest and least attentive.
That’s not coincidence.
That’s strategy.
Here’s what’s happening and four simple ways Vancouver businesses can avoid becoming the easy target.
The Stressed Supply Chain
Here’s the part most people overlook:
Hackers aren’t only targeting accounting firms.
They’re targeting everyone around them.
When tax season ramps up:
- Clients rush to send sensitive documents
- Staff members shortcut normal checks just to keep up
- “Just send me the file” becomes the default response
- Verification steps quietly disappear
The entire business ecosystem speeds up.
And speed is where cybersecurity mistakes happen.
Hackers don’t go after calm, methodical organizations.
They go after busy ones.
And March is busy.
What These Attacks Actually Look Like
These scams don’t come with flashing red flags.
They look exactly like the emails already in your inbox:
- A message from “your accountant” asking you to resend tax forms
- A vendor claiming their banking details have changed
- A DocuSign request for a tax document that “needs your signature today”
- An urgent email from “your CEO” who’s traveling and needs help immediately
None of these feel suspicious.
They feel like normal business in March.
And that’s why they work.
Why Busy People Get Caught
This isn’t about being careless.
It’s about being human.
When inboxes are full and timelines are tight, people don’t read—they scan.
They don’t analyze, they assume.
They don’t verify, they react.
Cyber attackers understand this better than anyone.
Their goal isn’t to trick a cautious, well‑rested employee.
Their goal is to catch someone who is:
- Overworked
- Rushed
- Buried in email
- Trying to stay afloat during tax season
They don’t need you to be reckless.
They just need you to be busy.
Four Simple Ways to Avoid Being the Easy Target
Good news: You don’t need complex systems or enterprise budgets.
Just a few intentional habits during fast‑paced months.
- Verify payment changes by phone
If a vendor emails new banking information, don’t reply.
Call a number you already trust and confirm.
This single step prevents some of the most expensive business email compromise attacks.
- Slow down on requests for sensitive data
Urgent requests should trigger caution, not speed.
If someone asks for T2’s, tax documents, or financial files “ASAP,” take a moment to verify.
A legitimate sender won’t mind a delay.
A scammer will.
- Double‑check urgent requests via a second channel
If an email insists something is urgent, confirm it through:
- A phone call
- A quick text
- An internal chat message
Real urgency survives a two‑minute check.
Fake urgency doesn’t.
- Give your team a five‑minute reminder
This week, tell your staff:
“Tax season is prime phishing season, slow down and double‑check anything sensitive.”
Sometimes small permission shifts prevent big disasters.
The Takeaway
Tax season is stressful enough without adding “fell for a cyber scam” to the list.
The attacks that show up this month aren’t clever, they’re just well‑timed.
They rely on:
- Assumptions
- Rushed decisions
- Overwhelmed inboxes
- Busy, distracted employees
You don’t need to overhaul your entire IT structure to stay safe.
You just need to slow down at the right moments and verify before responding.
Sometimes that’s enough.
A Quick Busy‑Season Sanity Check
Your business may already have strong cybersecurity habits in place and if so, great.
But if tax season tends to push people into reactive mode, or you’re not sure how your team handles urgent email requests under pressure, it might be worth a quick no‑pressure check‑in.
A free 15‑minute discovery call can give you clarity on whether a few small changes could prevent big March headaches.
If this doesn’t sound like your business, feel free to pass it along to someone it might help.
