How to Recognize Phony IRS Emails
If you receive an email which appears to be from the IRS, you should be very cautious in responding because of known scams. The phony IRS websites are often similar in appearance to the official IRS site. The scams are primarily interested in obtaining personal and financial information such as social security numbers, bank account information and credit card numbers. The IRS has stated that it does not obtain information in this manner. Read on to learn more.
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Instructions
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Check emails carefully that purport to come from the IRS, especially if personal financial information is being requested. The IRS position is that they do not send unsolicited emails.
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Refrain from sending personal financial information even if the email states that you are due a refund from a current or prior tax year. The purpose of the email is to get your bank account number in order to withdraw funds, not deposit a tax refund.
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Ignore links in a questionable IRS email and do not open attachments. Attachments may contain a virus.
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Review the scams which are detailed on the IRS website to determine if you have received a similar email. One scam, which is called a "Member Satisfaction Survey," promises that the IRS will deposit $80 to your bank account if you complete the survey and provide your bank account and other financial information.
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Forward phony IRS emails to a special site that the IRS has set up for scams at phishing@irs.gov.
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