Bogus IRS Refund E-mail & Phone Calls Warning

Congress just finished arguing over the proposed economic stimulus package legislation and sent it to the President last night, but the con men and scammers are already out there trying to steal your money and financial information by e-mailing or calling with the promise of advance payments if you give them your bank account information.

Here's a warning e-mail (from a trustworthy source, believe me) describing the e-mail scam that has been used:

"...have reported receiving an e-mail that claims to come from the IRS telling the recipient that he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount, and instructs the recipient to click on a link in the e-mail to access a refund claim form. This is a scam. The form asks the recipient to enter personal information that the scamsters can then use to access the e-mail recipient’s bank or credit card account.

The current version of the refund scam includes two paragraphs that appear to be directed toward tax-exempt organizations that distribute funds to other organizations or individuals. The e-mail contains the name and supposed signature of the Director of the IRS’s Exempt Organizations business division.

This e-mail is not from the IRS. The IRS does not send unsolicited e-mail about tax account matters to individual, business, tax-exempt or other taxpayers.

Filing a tax return is the only way to apply for a tax refund; there is no separate application form."

For more information on the scams (including the phone scam), see the IRS News Release.

Please, always be cautious with your financial or identity information while online and NEVER click unsolicited e-mail links dealing with such information.

Share