The Internal Revenue Service warns taxpayers that e-mail scams are circulating that fraudulently use the IRS name or logo as a lure.
“The goal of the scam – known as phishing – is to trick you into revealing personal and financial information,” said IRS spokesman Michael Devine.
The scammers then use your personal information – such as your Social Security number, bank account or credit card numbers – to commit identity theft and steal your money.
“The IRS does not send unsolicited e-mail asking about a person’s taxes or for detailed personal and financial information,” said Devine."The IRS never asks for PIN numbers, passwords, credit card or bank account information.”
If you receive an e-mail from someone claiming to be from the IRS or directing you to site for a refund or to answer questions about your tax return, Devine warns: do not reply to the message; do not open any attachments because they may contain a virus and do not click on any links.
The IRS says if they need to ask a question their initial contact will be a letter or notice that arrives through the mail. That correspondence will explain the situation and provide contact information. To verify the IRS is trying to contact you, call their toll-free number, 800-829-1040.
To help shut down scam sites, you can forward suspicious e-mails that claim to come from the IRS to a special mailbox, phishing@irs.gov. You can forward the message as received or provide the internet header of the e-mail. The internet header has additional information to help locate the sender.
You may also report misuse of the IRS name, logo, forms or other IRS property to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration toll-free at 1-800-366-4484.
St. Louis —
