IRS tax refund scam
WASHINGTON — The IRS has issued a consumer alert warning consumers about an Internet scam where they receive a bogus email claiming to be from the IRS, informing them of a tax refund. The e-mail provides a link that requests personal information, such as a 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, a practice commonly known as “phishing.”
The information fraudulently obtained is 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 or run up charges on the victim’s credit card(s), fraudulently apply for loans, credit cards, services or other benefits in the victim’s name and even file fraudulent tax returns.
The bogus e-mail, which claims to come from “tax-refunds@irs.gov” tells the recipient that he or she is eligible to receive a tax refund for a specific amount, and to access a form for the tax refund, the recipient must use a link provided.
One think to remember is the IRS never asks for personal identifying or financial information via unsolicited e-mail. They always use US Mail. Taxpayers never 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:
Never open any attachments in the e-mail, in case they contain viruses.
Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determine whether the IRS is trying to contact you about a tax refund.
The IRS has seen numerous attempts over the years to defraud the public and the federal government through a variety of schemes, including abusive tax avoidance transactions, identity theft, claims for slavery reparations, frivolous arguments and more. More information on these schemes may be found on the criminal enforcement page at IRS.gov
