Unexpected Refund Coming From the IRS? Be Skeptical
National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) Appleton, WI – Fraud perpetrators have found
the perfect means to intimidate taxpayers into filling out legitimate-looking, but phony, Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) forms – using the threat of government action or loss of tax refunds if you
don’t respond. The latest e-mail scam uses the Treasury Department's Electronic Federal Tax
Payment System (EFTPS), which is used by more than six million taxpayers to pay their federal
taxes online or by phone, as a hook to lure individuals into disclosing their personal information.
Between November 2005 and July 2006, IRS uncovered 104 different fraudulent websites that
posed as IRS sites to collect personal information from taxpayers. If you get an e-mail that appears
to be from the IRS, DON’T fall for the deception. The same goes for phone calls. Scammers have
become very adept at appearing and sounding authentic.
“The IRS does not send out unsolicited e-mails asking for personal information,” said IRS
Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “Don’t be taken in by these criminals.” In fact, the IRS
corresponds by sending a mailed letter to a taxpayer’s last known address. If you are worried or
unsure about any IRS-related correspondence, bring a copy to a tax professional, who is trained
to help. Harley Snyder, an NATP member from Charlotte, NC, confides, “One taxpayer brings
questionable items to me every few weeks. I’m glad to help sort out the good from the bad."
Those who operate scams are called phishers. Victims caught in their nets can end up feeling like
they’ve been skinned, gutted, and battered. The scams perpetrated by phishers all have one thing
in common; they gather personal information for use in defrauding victims. In fact, the simple act of
clicking on a fraudulent e-mail verifies a working e-mail address and allows the transfer of malware
to your computer. Malware is programming that collects and sends information such as credit card
numbers, PIN numbers, and passwords to databases at remote locations. Unfortunately, the IRS is
only one of many aliases that fraudulent phishers use to obtain personal information for purposes
such as raiding bank accounts, opening charge cards, acquiring cell phones, and unethically
harming unsuspecting individuals. Those who provide the information requested become victims of
identity fraud and find themselves in a distressing cycle of harassment from collection agencies,
difficulties obtaining credit, job loss, and even arrest; all in addition to monetary losses and mental
trauma.
“To protect yourself from having your identity stolen, guard your personal information, and always
verify the validity of any forms or correspondence requesting you to divulge personal information,”
advises Cindy Hockenberry, enrolled agent and tax information analyst with the National
Association of Tax Professionals (NATP). “If you have any question at all, look up the number and
call the organization that sent the correspondence BEFORE supplying any information. Do not rely
on phone numbers or e-mail addresses provided with correspondence. Be suspicious of any
unsolicited correspondence that requests the following types of information:
- Date of birth
- Social security number
- Passport number
- Bank name
- Credit card information
- Account number, type, and date opened
- E-mail address
- Occupation
- Daytime phone number
- Frequency of U.S. visits
- Information about spouses, children, and parents.”
Any website that collects personal information should contain “https” in the URL address at the top
(the s indicates that it is a secure site). It should also have a padlock in the lower right corner of
the screen in your browser’s status bar. Double-click on the padlock to see the website’s security
certificate. Certificates show the owner of the website in the “Issued to” line. An @ sign, “under
construction,” or “cannot be located” in this line is reason for suspicion. The certificate should also
show dates with a range of only a few years in the “Valid from” line (such as 7/29/05 – 7/29/07).
Another way to view this information is by going to File, Properties on your menu bar. If there is
ANY question in your mind about any site, do not use the link. Instead, login to the site directly
(such as www.irs.gov), and find phone numbers to call. Be safe, not sorry.
Check the validity of any IRS forms with a tax professional or on the criminal enforcement page of
the IRS website at www.irs.gov. Forward any suspicious IRS-related e-mail to phishing@irs.gov.
Fraudulent form information should go to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
(TIGTA) at fax 202.927.7018, or mail to TIGTA Hotline, P.O. Box 589, Ben Franklin Station,
Washington, D.C. 20044-0589. TIGTA’s website is www.ustreas.gov/tigta, and their phone number
is 800.366.4484.
New forms and methods to perpetrate fraud show up every day. Be aware and safeguard your
personal information. To report suspected attempts at identity theft, or if you feel you may be a
victim of fraud, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and follow the steps listed on their
website: http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/. The FTC phone number is 877.FTC.HELP.
National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) Appleton, WI – Fraud perpetrators have found
the perfect means to intimidate taxpayers into filling out legitimate-looking, but phony, Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) forms – using the threat of government action or loss of tax refunds if you
don’t respond. The latest e-mail scam uses the Treasury Department's Electronic Federal Tax
Payment System (EFTPS), which is used by more than six million taxpayers to pay their federal
taxes online or by phone, as a hook to lure individuals into disclosing their personal information.
Between November 2005 and July 2006, IRS uncovered 104 different fraudulent websites that
posed as IRS sites to collect personal information from taxpayers. If you get an e-mail that appears
to be from the IRS, DON’T fall for the deception. The same goes for phone calls. Scammers have
become very adept at appearing and sounding authentic.
“The IRS does not send out unsolicited e-mails asking for personal information,” said IRS
Commissioner Mark W. Everson. “Don’t be taken in by these criminals.” In fact, the IRS
corresponds by sending a mailed letter to a taxpayer’s last known address. If you are worried or
unsure about any IRS-related correspondence, bring a copy to a tax professional, who is trained
to help. Harley Snyder, an NATP member from Charlotte, NC, confides, “One taxpayer brings
questionable items to me every few weeks. I’m glad to help sort out the good from the bad."
Those who operate scams are called phishers. Victims caught in their nets can end up feeling like
they’ve been skinned, gutted, and battered. The scams perpetrated by phishers all have one thing
in common; they gather personal information for use in defrauding victims. In fact, the simple act of
clicking on a fraudulent e-mail verifies a working e-mail address and allows the transfer of malware
to your computer. Malware is programming that collects and sends information such as credit card
numbers, PIN numbers, and passwords to databases at remote locations. Unfortunately, the IRS is
only one of many aliases that fraudulent phishers use to obtain personal information for purposes
such as raiding bank accounts, opening charge cards, acquiring cell phones, and unethically
harming unsuspecting individuals. Those who provide the information requested become victims of
identity fraud and find themselves in a distressing cycle of harassment from collection agencies,
difficulties obtaining credit, job loss, and even arrest; all in addition to monetary losses and mental
trauma.
“To protect yourself from having your identity stolen, guard your personal information, and always
verify the validity of any forms or correspondence requesting you to divulge personal information,”
advises Cindy Hockenberry, enrolled agent and tax information analyst with the National
Association of Tax Professionals (NATP). “If you have any question at all, look up the number and
call the organization that sent the correspondence BEFORE supplying any information. Do not rely
on phone numbers or e-mail addresses provided with correspondence. Be suspicious of any
unsolicited correspondence that requests the following types of information:
- Date of birth
- Social security number
- Passport number
- Bank name
- Credit card information
- Account number, type, and date opened
- E-mail address
- Occupation
- Daytime phone number
- Frequency of U.S. visits
- Information about spouses, children, and parents.”
Any website that collects personal information should contain “https” in the URL address at the top
(the s indicates that it is a secure site). It should also have a padlock in the lower right corner of
the screen in your browser’s status bar. Double-click on the padlock to see the website’s security
certificate. Certificates show the owner of the website in the “Issued to” line. An @ sign, “under
construction,” or “cannot be located” in this line is reason for suspicion. The certificate should also
show dates with a range of only a few years in the “Valid from” line (such as 7/29/05 – 7/29/07).
Another way to view this information is by going to File, Properties on your menu bar. If there is
ANY question in your mind about any site, do not use the link. Instead, login to the site directly
(such as www.irs.gov), and find phone numbers to call. Be safe, not sorry.
Check the validity of any IRS forms with a tax professional or on the criminal enforcement page of
the IRS website at www.irs.gov. Forward any suspicious IRS-related e-mail to phishing@irs.gov.
Fraudulent form information should go to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
(TIGTA) at fax 202.927.7018, or mail to TIGTA Hotline, P.O. Box 589, Ben Franklin Station,
Washington, D.C. 20044-0589. TIGTA’s website is www.ustreas.gov/tigta, and their phone number
is 800.366.4484.
New forms and methods to perpetrate fraud show up every day. Be aware and safeguard your
personal information. To report suspected attempts at identity theft, or if you feel you may be a
victim of fraud, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and follow the steps listed on their
website: http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/. The FTC phone number is 877.FTC.HELP.
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