IRS graphic
This logo is inserted at the head of the scam IRS refund e-mail.
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Beware of e-mail scam about tax refunds
Could lead to identity theft
September 12, 2007
This scam has been around for several years now, but it is making the rounds again so we’re repeating the warning about it.
This e-mail scam comes in pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) claiming the recipient is entitled to a tax refund. The e-mail directs the reader to click on a link to claim their refund. The pages from the link asks for personal information, such as a Social Security number and credit card information.
This e-mail is a scam trying to trick unsuspecting readers into giving out their social security numbers and financial information.
Note that 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.
• Contact the IRS directly to determine whether the IRS is trying to contact you about a tax refund.
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Content of IRS scam e-mail we received recently, which purports to be from service@irs.gov:
(Graphic with Internal Revenue Service logo appears at the top of this e-mail)
After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $268.32.
Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 3-6 days in order to process it.
A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons.
For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.
To access the form for your tax refund, please click here (We have disabled this link.)
(In red:) Note: For security reasons, we will record your ip-address, the date and time.
Deliberate wrong inputs are criminally pursued and indicated.
Regards,
Internal Revenue Service
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Here is the URL the above link actually goes to, to a website in Rumania: http://max-media.cove.ru/Gallery/albums/usr/images/www.irs.gov/pas.php?certegy_vm=trueportlet_change_1_actionOverrideFchaseonlineFchangeFsigninDetails_windowLabel_portlet_signin_pageLabel_page_signin
The website has a page designed to look like a United States IRS form to fill in Social Security number, name, address, date of birth and credit card number/expiration date/CVV/ATM Pin saying, "Your credit card information is needed for verification".
This form is a fake, intended to trick readers into giving our their personal and financial information. DO NOT fill in your personal information on this form! The IRS does not contact taxpayers to get personal information with unsolicitated e-mails.
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