Tax News

CCH (cch.taxgroup.com) reports:

A new e-mail scam, which imitates the IRS's "Where's My Refund?" tool, has surfaced on the Internet, the Service is warning. Individuals are directed to a website called "Get Your Tax Refund!" where criminals steal the victims' identities and financial information.
Tracing Refunds
The real "Where's My Refund?" tool enables individuals to trace their refunds online. Individuals expecting a refund enter their Social Security number, filing status and exact amount of refund shown on their return. The "Where's My Refund?" tool searches for the individual's refund and advises the taxpayer of the status of his or her refund.
Information at Risk
According to the IRS, the "Get Your Tax Refund!" scam is appearing in e-mails that claim that the IRS has calculated the recipient's "fiscal activity" and he or she is eligible for a refund. The taxpayer is instructed to link to the "Get Your Tax Refund!" page.
"Get Your Tax Refund!" copies the appearance of "Where's My Refund?" However, unlike the real website, "Get Your Tax Refund!" asks for confidential personal financial information. Individuals are instructed to reveal their Social Security numbers along with credit card numbers. Instead of entering the amount of refund shown on their return, "Get Your Tax Refund!" asks individuals to enter their credit card numbers, which are then stolen by identity thieves.
Reporting Suspicious E-mails
Individuals receiving "Get Your Tax Refund!" e-mails or any suspicious e-mails claiming to be from the IRS should contact the Service or the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Individuals can forward suspicious e-mails to a special IRS mailbox, hishing@irs.gov.">phishing@irs.gov. TIGTA, which investigates groups or individuals impersonating the IRS, can be reached at (800) 366-4484.
CCH Comment. These emails are designed to trigger an emotional response, Edward Zollers, CPA, Phoenix, Ariz., told CCH. "They (scam artists) want taxpayers to react before they think." "If you get anything in an email that appears to be from the IRS, delete it," Charles Wold, CPA/PFS, chair of the financial planning section of the Arizona Society of CPAs, added. "The IRS will not contact you by email."
By George L. Yaksick, Jr., CCH News Staff
IRS Example of Phishing E-mail
IRS Website Sample