The Internal Revenue Service has launched an education campaign, which alerts tax professionals to the dangers of email scams. The agency receives three to five data theft reports weekly from tax practitioners and says 177 tax professionals or firms reported client data thefts from January through May.

A North Carolina man, who allegedly did not identify himself as a paid prepared on client tax returns, has been indicted on several charges. Hassie Demond Nowlin of Greensboro, N.C., has been charged with corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Service, preparing and filing fraudulent tax returns, bankruptcy fraud and making false bankruptcy declarations.

The Internal Revenue Service has reopened its Preparer Tax Identification Number system. The agency closed the PTIN operation after a United States District Court decided on June 1 that the IRS can require use of the numbers but has no legal right to charge fees for issuing or renewing PTINs.