Fake IRS E-mails Promise Tax Refund to Consumers

Consumers need to be cautious of the latest e-mail phishing scam, as per the statement released by bbb.org on November 20, 2009. Titled as "tax-refund", the e-mail ensures tax refunds from Internet Revenue Service (IRS). To give a legitimate look to their organization, it also lifts graphics and data from the government organizations.

The Public information Officer at Nevada Fight Fraud Task Force (Las Vegas, US), Elisabeth Daniels said that in order to procure personal information from unwary victims, phishers use .gov domain names, as per the statement published by lasvegasnow.com on November 19, 2009. Daniels said that these crooks know that the government uses GOV as an extension for its webpages and e-mails, and that's why they use this information to serve their purpose.

According to Daniels, there are several clues which prove that the e-mail is forged, as it is refund@tax.gov, so rather than irs.gov, recipients got tax.gov. There are generally several grammatical mistakes in the e-mails; however, asking for personal information is the biggest clue that proves fraudulent nature of the e-mails. IRS will never ever ask for personal data through e-mails or offer tax refund in such a manner. In case a user receives such an e-mail, he/she must read it careful before taking any action.

It is better to type the address of the businesses in the browser in case of any doubt about an e-mail. Avoid opening unexpected attachments in the e-mail. If these attachments appear suspicious, the e-mail must be immediately forwarded to the tax agency for investigation. The investigators will use the data provided in the fake e-mail to chase the online assailants.

Users must never enter their important information in an e-mail or a pop-up window; they must be vigilant of the website while giving sensitive details. Passwords must be changed at regular intervals. Also, same password must not be kept for multiple sites. To keep a watch on activities and statements of online accounts, it is always advisable to log in frequently.

Finally, users should keep applications and operating system updated, use anti-spam filters, anti-virus and firewall software. In case there is any query regarding taxes, it is better to approach the IRS directly.

Related article: Fake Spam Mail Announces Australian PM’s Heart Attack

» SPAMfighter News - 12/2/2009