The Internal Revenue Service warns consumers to beware of identity theft scams that use the IRS name, logo or website to try to convince taxpayers that the scam is an actual communication from the IRS or another federal agency. Identity thieves often pose as a government, financial or business institution or official to trick victims into revealing personal and financial information, such as credit card or bank account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers and more.
The scammers use the data to steal financial accounts, run up charges on the victim’s existing credit cards, apply for loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim’s name, and even file fake tax returns. These scams may take place through e-mail, fax or phone. The e-mail versions are called “phishing.” You should know that the IRS does not discuss tax account matters with taxpayers by e-mail.
In the most common type of scam seen by the IRS, a bogus e-mail, which claims to be from the IRS, tells you that you are eligible to receive a tax refund for a given amount. The message instructs you to click on a link to access and complete a form for the refund that requires you to enter personal and financial information. Recent variations on this scam have claimed to come from the Exempt Organizations area of the IRS; others have included the name and purported signature of a genuine or made-up IRS executive. In fact, taxpayers do not have to complete a special form to obtain refunds, which are based on the tax returns that they submit to the IRS.