Important Notice - IRS warns consumers about a new tax scam that uses a website that mimics the IRS e-Services online registration page. 11-07-2012 12:52 PMThe actual IRS e-Services page offers web-based products for tax preparers, not the general public. The phony IRS web page looks almost identical to the real one. Please note that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. 

The IRS warns consumers about a new tax scam that uses a website that mimics the IRS e-Services online registration page

Description

The following informational alert is listed on the IRS website under What's Hot and the Problem Alerts section http://www.irs.gov/uac/Problem-Alerts

 

Consumer Alerts

‪Please note that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels.

• ‪If you get an unsolicited email that appears to be from the IRS, please report it by sending it to phishing@irs.gov. ‪
• If you find a suspicious website that claims to be the IRS, please send the site’s URL by email to phishing@irs.gov, using the subject line: suspicious website.

 

October 2012
Don't Fall for Phony IRS Websites

 

The IRS warns consumers about a new tax scam that uses a website that mimics the IRS e-Services online registration page.

‪

The actual IRS e-Services page offers web-based products for tax preparers, not the general public. The phony web page looks almost identical to the real one.

 

The IRS gets many reports of fake websites like this. Criminals use these sites to lure people into providing personal and financial information that may be used to steal the victim’s money or identity.

‪

Additional Information

• The address of the official IRS website is www.irs.gov. Don’t be misled by sites claiming to be the IRS but ending in .com, .net, .org or other designations instead of .gov.
• The IRS website has information that can help you protect yourself from tax scams of all kinds. Search the site using the term: phishing.

Doc ID:		INF21854
Updated:		11/6/2012

On the radio this morning, there was an announcement that there is a scam email going out that uses the IRS logo and states that it is regarding refunds.
Just opening email will give access to entire computer.
They said, IRS states they never email anyone regarding refunds.
I am researching this and will post more info as I have it.
Suspicious e-Mails and Identity Theft
The Internal Revenue Service has issued several recent consumer warnings on the fraudulent use of the IRS name or logo by scamsters trying to gain access to consumers’ financial information in order to steal their identity and assets. When identity theft takes place over the Internet, it is called phishing.
Suspicious e-Mail/Phishing
Phishing (as in “fishing for information” and “hooking” victims) is a scam where Internet fraudsters send e-mail messages to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing personal and financial information that can be used to steal the victims’ identity. Current scams include phony e-mails which claim to come from the IRS and which lure the victims into the scam by telling them that they are due a tax refund.
Phishing and Other Schemes Using the IRS Name
The IRS periodically alerts taxpayers to, and maintains a list of, phishing schemes using the IRS name, logo or Web site clone. If you've received an e-mail, phone call or fax claiming to come from the IRS that seemed a little suspicious, you just may find it on this list.
The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email or any social media tools to request personal or financial information -read more here:
http://www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=179820,00.html
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=217794,00.html

Tax Season Humor
A visitor from Holland was chatting with his American friend and was jokingly explaining about the red, white and blue in the Netherlands flag. "Our flag symbolizes our taxes," he said. "We get red when we talk about them, white when we get our tax bill, and blue after we pay them."

"It's the same with us," the American said, "only we see stars, too."

REPORTING OF TAX INFORMATION WITH YOUR PASSPORT APPLICATION

Passports are not under the purview of the IRS, and generally do not involve tax administration issues. However, since 1986, U.S. passport applicants have to report certain information when they make their application. Code §6039E.

Proposed Regulations on what must be reported were issued in 1992, but never finalized. Treasury has now issued new proposed Regulations. Under these, the items to be reported are:

(1) the applicant's full name and, if applicable, previous name;

(2) address of regular or principal place of residence within the country of residence and, if different, mailing address;

(3) taxpayer identifying number (TIN); and

(4) date of birth.

provides legal justification for the gathering of reams of data on taxpayers, including marital status, business and investment activities, and asset holding that might otherwise be beyond the interest of government.

Proposed Treas. Regs. §301.6039E-1

That is why very often you must produce your tax returns when applying for a green card and later a passport.