Consumer Tips

Latest Phishing Scam - IRS Tax Refund

The Internal Revenue Service has issued a consumer alert about an Internet scam in which consumers receive an e-mail informing them of a tax refund. The e-mail, which claims to be from the IRS, directs the consumer to a link that requests personal information, such as Social Security number and credit card information.

This scheme is an attempt to trick the e-mail recipients into disclosing their personal and financial data. The information fraudulently obtained is then used to steal the taxpayer’s identity and financial assets.

---

Sample Fraudulent Email:

From: tax-refunds@irs.gov
Subject: IRS Refund

The bogus e-mail tells the recipient that he or she is eligible to receive a tax refund for a given amount. It then says that, to access a form for the tax refund, the recipient must use a link contained in the e-mail. The link then asks for the personal and financial information.

DO NOT Go to this link. It is fraudulent.

The IRS does not ask for personal identifying or financial information via unsolicited e-mail. Additionally, taxpayers do not have to complete a special form to obtain a refund.

If you receive an unsolicited e-mail purporting to be from the IRS, take the following steps:

• Do not open any attachments to the e-mail, in case they contain malicious code that will infect your computer.
• Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determine whether the IRS is trying to contact you about a tax refund.

More information on these schemes may be found on the criminal enforcement page at www.IRS.gov.