You must use the Internet, since you are reading this article. If you use the Internet, you should know about phishing scams. Fake IRS IDs are now being used in some cons.
The IRS wants to know about fake emails sent in the name of the IRS
The IRS has put out a lot of press releases and warnings about phishing scams that use fake sites with tax and IRS logos. Now, the IRS wants to try to find the people who did this. Obviously, it can only do this if it sees the fake emails being sent. If you get one of these emails, the IRS wants you to send it to the address [email protected].
The IRS does not send emails to taxpayers who did not ask for them. The IRS doesn't even know your email address, so it's not like it could. When you get an email from something @irs.gov, it is a scam trying to get your personal information in some way. You shouldn't answer these emails. Send them to the IRS instead at the email address shown above.
A fishing email that pretends to be from the IRS might look something like this:
[header has an IRS logo or a fake link to the IRS website.]
Based on our automatic review of tax returns, we've decided that you deserve a tax refund of $xxx.xx. Click HERE to ask for your tax refund.
Once you go to the page, you will be asked for personal information like your social security number and bank account number. The reason given is to confirm your identity and send the money back to your bank account. All of this is a big lie. Scammers just want your information so they can steal money from your bank account or open accounts in your name.
Most importantly, you need to know that domain names are really just names for numbers. Just because it says "irs.something," that doesn't mean it's from the IRS. If you think the IRS is trying to reach you for real, pick up the phone and call them. In the phishing email, don't include any phone numbers.
