New IRS Tax Refund Scam, warns FBI
Photo by: ninjapoodles
FBI is sounding fresh alerts to warn citizens of the presence of a new wave of phishing scams online. Fraudsters posing as employees of the IRS or organizations like the well-respected TaxPayer Advocate Service (a part of the IRS) and armed with email addresses like [email protected] and [email protected], maybe on the prowl, it warns.
In a very polished attempt, fraudsters are using a website closely resembling the official IRS website to entice readers of their mails to part with personal information like their Name, Address, Phone number, Bank Account number, Credit Card number, Card Expiry date, ATM Pin number, Social Security number, Passport number, and your mother’s maiden name. The last bit of detail is sought as it is typically the answer to an online security question that otherwise restricts access to your funds.
The email may be presented to you on a number of excuses:
- The latest variant of the fraud claims the government has announced a new, faster,and easier way of receiving refunds under the Economic Stimulus Program. It advises you to take advantage of the direct deposit feature for claiming refunds. To receive the refund in this manner, you just have to fill up a form presented on clicking a link on the email. It brings in an element of hurry by saying refunds may be delayed if the online form is not filled within a certain date.
- The email offers to pay $80 if you take part in a customer satisfaction survey. It start off with asking standard questions. Then it asks for your account details presumably to credit the reward to your account.
- The email claims there were problems with the return you filed last year. Apparently, the social security number filed in the original return did not match ones in IRS records; or, you forgot to append an electronic signature to the return. For either reason, you are asked to confirm personal details before the return can be accepted.
- The email claims you are being investigated for fraud by the IRS and demands answers as a part of the investigation.
Sometimes, they merely rely on your clicking a link inside the email to do the trick. The click downloads a Trojan malware in your computer. It spies on you when you are online and transmits all of your passwords and login information to the crooks sitting at remote computers.
You can stay away from such fraud by knowing:
- Tax Refunds CANNOT be claimed in any other way except by filing your returns. You need not do anything more.
- IRS NEVER contacts taxpayers via email. It uses US Mail for all official communication.
- No financial institution be it the IRS, banks or your credit card company will EVER ask you to “verify” your account details online.
Any of this happening should trigger alarm signals in you!
In case you receive such an email, please contact ic3.gov and the IRS (email: [email protected]) to lodge a complaint.
This would enable others to be saved from the fraud!
Related posts:
- IRS ‘tax refund’ phishing e-mails- Adding to tax season blues.
- Phishers eyeing Australian Tax Payers
- Tax Refund Scam: IRS Warns that Season for Scammers has just begun!
- Mother-Son duo charged with Game-CD Refund Fraud
- Dramatic Fraud IRS Notification Tax refund Email ,Sucking the Tax Payers
August 12th, 2008 at 9:52 am
My husband received a letter from TAG (Taxpayer Advocate Group) stating that we are one of thousands who have over-paid property taxes and may be entitled to a REFUND! They even have an insert titled “TAX ADVOCATE AGREEMENT” which states that by signing the agreement,it allows them to process our refund. The address on the letter is Taxpayer Advocate Group, LLC. P.O. Box 430 Naperville, IL 60566 with Phone Number 1-888-959-4824. Please look into this. I suspect this is a scam. Thanks so much.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
let me know if this is a fraud as I have received checks as refunds from Maria Pappas.
October 16th, 2008 at 10:22 am
I received this email this morning. How did this person get my address?
Please check it out.
Tax Refund (25371231) $620.50 Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:40 AM
From: “Internal Revenue Service” Add sender to Contacts To: undisclosed-recipients
October 16th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Here is the email address that it came from?
“Internal Revenue Service“
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:59 am
A client received an Email indicating a refund of $291.70. The contact site for accessing the form needed to obtain this refund was indicated as:
‘WWW.IRS.gov/refund/html’.
The actual URL behind this “site” was shown as:
‘www.seaspraypools.com.au/Internal/Revenue/Service/index.html’.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
We also received a letter and form from Taxpayer Advocate Group Box 430 Naperville Illinois indicating we had overpaid property tax! Enclosed was a form requiring personal information to obtain the funds!
It walked like a “duck” to me! The letter also was endorsed with the BBB logo!
This letter was received by US mail November 23, 2008.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:24 am
@ Maria, Frank, Martha, James & Curto…
Thanks for the comments, guys!
Best Wishes!
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:55 am
Dear readers.
I have located these individuals who emailed me “supposedly from the IRS” and of course I am a FBI informant, X Army classified communications etc, so they picked the wrong guy as a victim, if you get scam emails here is how you locate these bastards and turn them over to the FBI..
1. Remember their I.P. ( “Internet protocol” address ) is well hidden by many proxy servers, so forget about running the I.P. under you’rte “full headers” on you’re email account, you’ll get no ware unless you are an expert with a lot of time and experience such as maybe myself..
This link will educate you and protect you too.
http://www.johnru.com/active-whois/trace-email.html
Use these free services to locate & then turn all info over to the Authorities asap.
Here is a Free link below to trace an I.P. address and their I.S.P. ( Internet service provider ) and even physical address(s) just by entering their email address, then you now have their I.S.P., i.e. Comcast, or Netzero etc who give them their Internet connection/access and where they pay a fee using their personal info, so now you can send the Feds along with a Warrant to their I.S.P. ( Internet service provider ) and of course to their home next, and arrest them, you cannot hide on the Internet as commonly believed so be careful what you surf and or look at on-line, someone may be watching you., amazing info and free to use..
http://www.emailfinder.com/
Once you have an I.P. address now you need to enter it here below and locate them using Google maps, people study for years to learn this as a Federal agent or Cyber detective as myself, you are learning this fast and simple ( basic ) right here and free too, because I do not like innocent folks loosing their personal identity Period!! nor should you.
http://www.undercoverdetective.com/ReverseIP.htm
Good luck and NEVER think the IRS or any Government entity will send you an email, they simply do not and nor do Banks or Paypal etc, NEVER!!.
To avoid people sending you an email spy HTML tag, in other words they know when you open their email and where and even you’re personal address now? just disable you’re HTML ( Hyper text markup language ) before opening any emails i.e. you’re X’s or what have you, this way you are anonymous as far as his or her email spy HTML ( some use ) that you cannot see, use this perfectly “Legal” service to also track criminals or just to see who opens you’re emails and who doesn’t as I do, just open a free account at http://www.whoreadme.com/
. remember if their HTML is disabled you will not know if it was opened and or read, don’t worry, only a 10TH of 1 percent of the population has their HTML disabled, so you will get a notification when they read you’re email, plus their operating system info, I.P. address ( the real one too ) and much more!!. peace
God bless in 2009 and be careful is the name of the game.
Stephen J Miller cyber cop, a.k.a. Maestro Stephen J Miller famed opera tenor, guitar virtuoso.
http://www.numberonemusic.com/thefourthtenor
Remember if you contact me I know who you are, so be nice to me please, i’ll be nice to you too
..
February 14th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Received a letter from the Taxpayer Advocate Group about recovering overpaid property taxes from Cook County. I checked out this company on the BBB and they seem legite. Anyone have any experience with this?
February 16th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Just received the “Notice from the Department of Treasury” fake email today. The scary thing is I just filed my taxes online on Sunday so I actually thought the email was legitimate…until I took a few extra long looks at it. Is it a coincidence that I just received it after I filed my taxes online….I’m definitely hoping so.
February 18th, 2009 at 8:46 am
I know this is a scam but he will not stop emailing me. Who can investigate this scum bag, or should I just keep deleting these emails.
From the Desk of:
Mr. Samuel Thanong “Mr.Samuel Hou Thanong” <[email protected]
I wish to seek your assistance for the transfer of $25 million dollars depository made by a foreign investor for an investment programme that has remained dormant for years now. I discovered that the account holder died without making a will on the depository.
This money cannot be approved to a local bank account holder, but can only be approved to a foreigner. If you will stand as next of kin to the fund, it will be shared equally. As this is a two-man business deal transaction, but do know that we will both bear the cost of expenses and all responsibility to see that we have this fund wired and remitted into your bank account.
I shall provide you with more details and relevant documents that will help you understand the transaction. I need your assistance and co-operation to this reality as I have done my Home-work and fine tune the best way to create you as the beneficiary of the fund. My position as the branch manager of the bank will be used to advance this deal.
I will like you to provide immediately your full Names and Address, Date of Birth, Occupation, Tel & Fax Numbers so that an Attorney will be able to prepare the necessary documents and affidavit which will put you in place as the next of kin. The Attorney will draft and carry out the notarization of the will and also obtain the necessary documents and letter of probate/administration in your favor for the claim.
I will appreciate your early reply for commencement of business. Contact me for acknowledgment by E-mail and whereby you are not interested; please indicate in your reply so that I can seek for the assistance of someone else.
If this proposal is acceptable by you, I expect that you will not take undue advantage of the trust I will bestow in you. I await your urgent response.
Thanks with great regards.
Mr. Samuel Thanong
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:30 pm
the irs has been faxing my grandmother which is my boss at work, claiming the need more info. on me and my taxes this year. feels like a scam.
March 21st, 2009 at 2:29 pm
If I gave all my personal info, what should I do?
April 15th, 2009 at 8:33 am
If you ever want to read a reader’s feedback
, I rate this article for four from five. Detailed info, but I have to go to that damn google to find the missed parts. Thanks, anyway!
April 15th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
My son has been living with me for the past 6 months, And his father claim him on his taxes i need to know what i need to do.
November 27th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
thanks for informing us. that’s rally awful what’s been going on, rally no fair
December 27th, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Hello all my friends worldwide.
The Internet and it’s criminal regime is dying down, not dead or gone but getting better everyday thanks to help from my field agents educating as many people as possible. Thank’s for being safe and remember, no banking or emailing anyone money, well? unless you like gambling with your ID and money.. Cheers,
Signed: Sovereign Patriot Cyber Cop Miller~ over 200 criminals prosecuted since 1993.. 99 percent conviction rate…..