Identity Thieves Get Creative By Posing as IRS Agents in Emails
I received a virus in my email inbox recently from someone that looked like they were working for the IRS, but was in actuality a scam artist. Check out the latest deception method to obtain personal information from taxpayers like you:
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From: Internal Revenue Service [mailto:no-reply@irs.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 7:32 AM
To: TRS
Subject: Notice of Underreported Income
Taxpayer ID: michael-00000174073547US
Tax Type: INCOME TAX
Issue: Unreported/Underreported Income (Fraud Application)
Please review your tax statement on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website (click on the link below):
review tax statement for taxpayer id: michael-00000174073547US
Internal Revenue Service
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This email turned out to be a web forgery, which is designed to trick recipients into revealing personal and financial information to sources that they trust (such as the IRS).
Usually, scam artists will use a catchy and urgent-sounding email subject line to captivate your attention and then lead you to an external website that will grab your personal info and use it for less legitimate purposes.
Be careful what you give away online (and in person). Make sure that you are 100% sure of the legitimacy of the person/organization you reveal your personal and financial information to, or you may end up a victim of an IRS scam or identity theft.
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Tags: Back Taxes, delinquent taxes, Identity Theft, IRS debt, IRS help, IRS problem solver, IRS scams, Michael Rozbruch, tax expert, tax resolution, tax resolution services
September 22nd, 2009 at 9:06 am
Hello,
I am responding to the above information because I have recently had a tax client who received this message. I was able to intercede before they clicked on the link and downloaded the material but some may be so lucky. Please contact your tax professional prior to clicking on or downloading anything related to the IRS. Please know the the IRS does not correspond by email, they use the U.S. Mail system.
Matthew Lewicki