Post by dalejrfan on Mar 2, 2006 23:28:05 GMT -5
IRS warns of e-mail scam using fake site
LOUISVILLE - The Internal Revenue Service is issuing a consumer alert about an Internet scam in which consumers receive an e-mail informing them of a tax refund in the amount of $63.80.
The bogus e-mail indicates that it is an IRS notification, and when you open it, you see a realistic logo and banner. It then says to access a tax refund request form the recipient must use a link contained in the e-mail. The link then asks for the personal and financial information.
This scheme is an attempt to trick the e-mail recipients into disclosing their personal and financial data. The practice is called "phishing" for information.
The information fraudulently obtained is then used to steal the taxpayer's identity and financial assets. Generally, identity thieves use someone's personal data to steal his or her financial accounts, run up charges on the victim's existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim's name and even file fraudulent tax returns.
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.
Notify the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at (800) 366-4484 or on the Web at www.treas.gov.tigta
LOUISVILLE - The Internal Revenue Service is issuing a consumer alert about an Internet scam in which consumers receive an e-mail informing them of a tax refund in the amount of $63.80.
The bogus e-mail indicates that it is an IRS notification, and when you open it, you see a realistic logo and banner. It then says to access a tax refund request form the recipient must use a link contained in the e-mail. The link then asks for the personal and financial information.
This scheme is an attempt to trick the e-mail recipients into disclosing their personal and financial data. The practice is called "phishing" for information.
The information fraudulently obtained is then used to steal the taxpayer's identity and financial assets. Generally, identity thieves use someone's personal data to steal his or her financial accounts, run up charges on the victim's existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim's name and even file fraudulent tax returns.
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.
Notify the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at (800) 366-4484 or on the Web at www.treas.gov.tigta