IRS Warns of E-mail Fraud
The IRS is currently warning taxpayers of an active e-mail scam in the Midwest. The scam involves e-mails supposedly sent from the IRS that bear copycat logos and the names of real IRS officials. The recipients are told that their payment for taxes due has been rejected. They are then asked to click on a link in order to fill out an attached form and thereby resolve the payment rejection issue. However, the attachment actually contains a virus. This virus allows the scammer to gather personal and financial information from the recipient’s computer.
IRS spokesperson Michael Devine says that the IRS will never send an e-mail asking for personal information to any taxpayer. All correspondence regarding any problem with your tax return will be through the U.S. Mail. This official IRS letter will describe the problem and contain contact information for the person or agency who can help you resolve the issue.
If you receive an e-mail that claims to be from the IRS, remember the following:
-Do not respond to it.
-Do not open any attachments.
-Do not click on any links in the e-mail.
To assist the IRS in locating and prosecuting the criminals perpetrating this scam, you can do the following:
-Call 1-800-829-1040 to determine if the IRS is indeed trying to contact you regarding your tax return.
-Forward any e-mail claiming to be from the IRS to phishing@irs.gov.
For Additional Information:
Fraud Assistance Hotline: (314) 612-1412
Office Phone: (314) 622-4941
Fax: (314) 622-3369
*If Purcell and Amen, L.L.C. has prepared your tax returns, do not communicate directly with the IRS, have your tax preparer do it. The IRS does not communicate with tax payers by e-mail. Please call (314) 966-8077 if you have any questions or concerns regarding E-mail Fraud from the IRS.
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