The Internal Revenue Service has issued several consumer warnings on the fraudulent
use of the IRS name or logo by scamsters trying to gain access to consumers' financial
data in order to steal their assets. Fraudsters may use the IRS name because most
consumers recognize it, have had prior communication with or from the IRS (such as
receiving annual tax form and instruction packages) and have previously provided the
IRS some financial data (such as that contained on tax returns).
Credit Pacific Service Union As a general rule, the IRS does not send out unsolicited e-mails or ask for detailed
personal information. Additionally, the IRS does not ask people for the PIN numbers,
passwords or similar secret access information for their credit card, bank or other
financial accounts.
mail theft, dumpster diving, phishing scams and how to prevent identity fraud at Identity.privacymatters.com
Credit First Service Union Tricking consumers into disclosing their personal and financial data, such as secret
access data or credit card or bank account numbers, is identity theft. Such schemes
perpetrated through the Internet are called "phishing" for information.
Even as the Internet improves our lives, electronic threats from spam, borne viruses, fraud, identity theft, and other phishing scams are becoming more pervasive.
Card Credit Mobile Service The information fraudulently obtained is then used to steal the taxpayer's identity and
financial assets. Typically, identity thieves use someone's personal data to steal his
or her financial accounts, run up charges on the victim's existing credit cards, apply
for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim's name and even file
fraudulent tax returns.
- 86% of Americans believe identity theft will occur as a result of a stolen wallet.
- 65% believe identity theft will happen as a result of theft of a credit card number on the Internet through online scams such as phishing.
- 64% expect identity theft to occur when mail is stolen from an unlocked mailbox.
- 58% believe identity theft will happen as a result of "dumpster diving" — increasing the importance of paper shredding.
- 56% believe identity theft will happen as a result of fraudulent access to credit reports.
- 46% believe identity theft will happen as a result of "shoulder surfing" at ATMs to capture PIN numbers.
- 54% believe they will be victimized as a result of their name and Social Security Number being stolen from personnel or customer files in the workplace where employers are negligent of paper shredding.
Card Credit Discover Service Identity theft usually causes immediate financial losses for the victims, who may also
encounter lingering credit and other problems as a result of the identity theft.
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Credit Public Service Union Identity theft schemes take numerous forms. Identity theft may be conducted by e-mail
(phishing), standard mail, telephone or fax. Thieves may also go through trash looking
for discarded tax returns, bank records, credit card receipts or other records that
contain personal and financial information.
"Phishing" known banks, online retailers and credit card companies in an effort to obtain personal and financial information from the recipient. The result of these scams is that consumers suffer credit card fraud, identity theft and financial loss.
Card Credit Processing Service When the IRS learns about schemes involving use of the IRS name, it tries to alert
consumers as well as authorities that can shut down the scheme, if possible.
Center Credit Service Union The following are examples of recent schemes:
Card Credit Service Wireless * e-Mails claiming to come from tax-refunds@irs.gov, admin@irs.gov or other
variations on the irs.gov theme told the recipients that they were eligible to
receive a tax refund for a given amount. It directed recipients to claim the
refund by using a link contained in the e-mail which sent the recipient to a Web
site. The site, a clone of the IRS Web site, displayed an interactive page similar
to a genuine IRS one; however, it had been modified to ask for personal and financial
information that the genuine IRS interactive page does not require.
Credit Security Service Union The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has reported that it
found 12 separate Web sites in 11 different countries hosting variations on this
scheme.
Credit Report Service * A bogus IRS letter and Form W-8BEN (Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial
Owner for United States Tax Withholding) asked non-residents to provide personal
information such as account numbers, PINs, mother's maiden name and passport number.
The legitimate IRS Form W-8BEN, which is used by financial institutions to establish
appropriate tax withholding for foreign individuals, does not ask for any of this
information.
Blogspot Com Christian To protect against potential identity thieves, take the following steps:
Christian Counseling Credit * Be skeptical of communications you receive from sources you are not expecting. Verify
the authenticity of phone calls, standard mail, faxes or e-mails of questionable origin
before responding.
Credit Federal Service Union * Do not reveal secret passwords, PINs or other security-based data to third parties;
genuine organizations or institutions do not need your secret data for ordinary business
transactions.
Credit Monitoring Service * Do not click on links contained in possibly questionable e-mails; instead, go directly
to the site already know to be genuine. For example, the only address for the IRS Web
site is www.irs.gov - any other variations on this will not lead to the legitimate IRS Web
site.
Credit Division Service * Do not open attachments to e-mails of possibly questionable origin, since they may contain
viruses that will infect your computer.
Card Credit Online Service * Shred paper documents containing private financial information before discarding.
Consumer Counseling Credit Inc To report the fraudulent misuse of the IRS name, logo, forms or other IRS property, you may
contact the TIGTA toll-free hotline at 1-800-366-4484 or visit the TIGTA Web site.
Card Credit Fleet Service Those who think their identity has been stolen should visit the Federal Trade Commission's Web site
for information about how to handle the aftermath of identity theft.
Card Consolidation Credit Cal Golden is a volunteer tax preparer and webmaster of Tax Help Super Tips
For up to the minute information on how to get the most from your tax returns, visit his site now.
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