Feds: E-Mail Conmen Claim to Be IRS Officials
Steven Klitzner
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Who doesn't want to receive news about their tax refund or economic stimulus payment?
Just click the link in this e-mail, the IRS official apparently requests.
But officials with the U.S. tax-collecting agency say doing so could be a costly mistake. 
Scam artists are luring U.S. taxpayers with claims of information about upcoming refunds and payments to collect information they can use for identity theft.
In 2008 so far, taxpayers reported to the IRS more than 1,600 such e-mails, known as "phishing" scams.
"Taxpayers should take steps to keep their personal information out of the hands of identity thieves," IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said in a statement. "That includes not falling for any of the phony e-mails or faxes now in circulation pretending to come from the IRS."
In most of these e-mails, the scam artists request detailed personal information. The IRS, however, does not generally send e-mails to taxpayers and never requests security-related personal information, such as PIN numbers or Social Security numbers, from taxpayers.
Among currently circulating scams:
Refund E-Mail Scam: E-mails claiming to come from the IRS informs the recipient he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount.
Economic Stimulus Payments Scam: A taxpayer receives an e-mail pretending to come from the IRS which tells the recipient he or she is eligible for an economic stimulus payment. The message recommends direct deposit into the taxpayer's bank account. To receive the claimed payment, people must enter personal and financial data, including bank account numbers that the scammers can use to gain access to the accounts.
Just click the link in this e-mail, the IRS official apparently requests.
But officials with the U.S. tax-collecting agency say doing so could be a costly mistake.
Scam artists are luring U.S. taxpayers with claims of information about upcoming refunds and payments to collect information they can use for identity theft.
In 2008 so far, taxpayers reported to the IRS more than 1,600 such e-mails, known as "phishing" scams.
"Taxpayers should take steps to keep their personal information out of the hands of identity thieves," IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said in a statement. "That includes not falling for any of the phony e-mails or faxes now in circulation pretending to come from the IRS."
In most of these e-mails, the scam artists request detailed personal information. The IRS, however, does not generally send e-mails to taxpayers and never requests security-related personal information, such as PIN numbers or Social Security numbers, from taxpayers.
Among currently circulating scams:
Refund E-Mail Scam: E-mails claiming to come from the IRS informs the recipient he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount.
Economic Stimulus Payments Scam: A taxpayer receives an e-mail pretending to come from the IRS which tells the recipient he or she is eligible for an economic stimulus payment. The message recommends direct deposit into the taxpayer's bank account. To receive the claimed payment, people must enter personal and financial data, including bank account numbers that the scammers can use to gain access to the accounts.