IRS Cautions US Citizens about Tax-related Fraudulent E-mails

USA's tax agency IRS is cautioning all Americans to watch out for tax-related phishing e-mails that to target them are presently circulating online, published vvdailypress.com dated 1st January 2012.

Also, in a joint report by the IRS and IC3 (Internet Crime Complain Center) it's stated that the most widely circulating tax-related e-mail scam thus far has been the "Turbo Tax scam." This scam has so derived the name as its perpetrators dispatch fake electronic mails utilizing the name of the lawful tax preparation agency.

The related e-mail, according to Officials, tells the recipient that he requires upgrading his computer application so as to be able to abide by fresh tax laws by visiting a web-link provided in the message. But, the link in reality leads the user onto one fake site that looks genuine. Here, rather than obtain an upgrade the user pulls down a PC-virus alternatively is directed for providing personal information as part of a confirmation that he has the application.

And if provided, the information then gets utilized for filing returns once again with IRS, this time in an unauthorized manner, so that the outcomes reach the fraudsters instead of the actual return filer.

Worryingly, according to IRS Officials, it's because of the above kinds of fake e-mails, which have resulted in an increase in malicious software across the Net.

Hence, incase any taxpayer gets the above kind of e-mail, which asks to enter personal info then 1st, he mustn't answer it and 2nd he mustn't follow web-links that maybe embedded on it.

Still, if the person already clicked the web-links as well as entered secret details then he's recommended that he should go to the identity protection section of IRS' website. Additionally, if anybody feels doubtful of the authenticity of any detail provided to get in touch with then he shouldn't hesitate towards refusing to provide his info to that contact. Meanwhile, he should send the e-mail at phishing@irs.gov followed with erasing the message permanently, IRS Officials suggest.

Conclusively, similar tax-related fraudulent e-mails have targeted residents of Canada, UK, Australia and India too during recent years, the Officials comment.

Related article: IRS Cautions Taxpayers of Recent Email Scam

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