With the Beginning of Tax Time, Tax Scams too Rear Their Heads

February 15, 2011 was the day assigned for citizens to submit tax returns to the government tax agency namely IRS. The day was also characteristic about the beginning of tax frauds, with most frauds reported as disseminating through e-mails. 12WBOY published this on February 15, 2011.

As always, the electronic messages tell recipients that they're eligible for a tax refund just after the last date for self-assessment will get over. The e-mails even give one web-link leading onto a look-alike HMRC site; however, direct to enter credit card information.

Says Doug Davis Assistant Attorney General, these electronic mails belong to a phishing campaign, which involves a spoofed IRS website. There's also a Trojan malware detected in the e-mails. Naturally, it means that not merely there's something false, which snatches personal information, but that the computer may be damaged too, according to Davis. 12WBOY reported this.

Commenting about the above e-mails, IRS substantiated that they were fakes. Stated Jim Dupree Spokesman of IRS, the agency didn't dispatch unasked e-mails regarding anyone's tax account alternatively requested anybody to provide his financial and personal information electronically. 12WBOY published this.

Evidently, since November 2010 to January 2011, HMRC has disabled 99 networks of the same kind. Chris Hopson Director of Customer Relations stated that principally, if HMRC ever-wanted to inform consumers of any tax refund, it would do so via postal correspondence. BirminghamMail.net reported this on February 15, 2011.

Said Executive Member for Community and Environment Clr Lynn Riley, fraudsters were forever inventing fresh ideas about getting the public to part with their precious money. Northwich Guardian reported this on February 15, 2011.

Meanwhile, according to security specialists, organizations post advertisements telling that consumers can pay cash outright by showing their tax returns and the related tax reimbursement if any. While, all of that is fine, still it's the consumers' responsibility for ensuring that the refund does exist. They must be sure that there's been no miscalculation of their returns and that they'd indeed get the refund. In short, end-users must ensure that whatever they hear from the tax agency of their returns is really the truth.

Related article: What To Do If A Virus Attacks Your PC?

» SPAMfighter News - 2/23/2011