IRS Warns of e-Mail Scam about Tax Refunds

The Internal Revenue Service has issued a consumer alert about an Internet scam in which recipients receive an e-mail informing them they are eligible for a tax refund. The e-mail, which claims to be from the IRS, directs them to a link that requests personal information, such as Social Security number and credit card information.

The bogus e-mail, which claims to come from "tax-refunds@irs.gov", is an attempt to trick the e-mail recipients into disclosing their personal and financial data. The information obtained can be used to steal the taxpayer’s identity.

The IRS does not ask for personal identifying or financial information via unsolicited e-mail. Additionally, taxpayers do not have to complete a special form to obtain a refund.

If you receive an unsolicited e-mail purporting to be from the IRS do not respond to it, in fact do not even open it as it may contain a computer virus.

For information on the status of an IRS refund, use the “Where’s My Refund?” feature at the IRS website http://www.irs.gov/. or contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determine whether the IRS is trying to contact you about a tax refund.