How to Recognize and Avoid Tax Refund Scams

Lucky you. An email from the IRS says they want to send you your refund, but they just need a little more information from you. Simply head to this very-official looking website, where you'll be asked to enter your social security number and all sorts of other identity-theft information. DON'T DO IT. They are "phishing" for your personal information so they can steal your identity. Here's how to stay safe during tax refund season.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Be Aware. The IRS does not send emails to taxpayers about their refunds...period. If they need to contact you, you'll get a letter in the mail. If you get an email from the "IRS" about your taxes, it's a fake.
2. Do not reply to the email. Do not click on any links in the email
3. Take a look at typical "phishing" scams that pretend to be from the IRS (see resource links, below). Look familiar?
4. It's a good idea to report phishing scams directly to the IRS, so they can put them out of action (or at least, try to). The resource links directly below will get you to the IRS site where you'll find full reporting instructions.

Tips & Warnings

• All genuine IRS websites begin with http://www.irs.gov. Any other URL address is not a real IRS site, no matter what it says.