Identity Theft, Phishing, and Tax Scams
Filed Under Identity Theft, Tax Help & Assistance, Tax Scams
The IRS has been warning consumers about the fraudulent use of the IRS name and/or logo by scam artists and fraudsters. They do this to try to gain access to consumers’ financial data in order to steal their assets.
The “phishers” and fraudsters tend to use the IRS name because:
(a) most people recognize the IRS name,
(b) they have had prior communication with or from the IRS (such as receiving annual tax form and instruction packages) and
(c) they have previously provided the IRS financial data (such as that contained on tax returns).
Warning - Note the following:
1. As a general rule, the IRS does not send out unsolicited e-mails or ask for detailed personal information.
2. 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.
Identity Theft
The act of tricking people into disclosing their personal and financial data, such as secret access data or credit card or bank account numbers, is called identity theft.
Such schemes perpetrated through the Internet are called “phishing†for information (sounds like fishing).
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.
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.
Identity theft schemes take numerous forms. It may be conducted by:
(a) e-mail (phishing),
(b) standard mail, telephone or fax.
(c) 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.
You can find out more about identity theft from the IRS at http://www.irs.gov
Go here for identity theft advice www.consumer.gov
Keep up to date on tax advice news www.taxassistonline.com
Watch Out For Tax Scams!
www.taxassistonline.com keeping you up to date with tax news and tips. In TAX TIP 2006-24 the IRS Warns Taxpayers To Beware of Tax Scams Tax scams can take several forms, ranging from the promise of a large tax refund to the promotion of illegal ways of taxing yourself. Believe me, a few extra dollars is absolutely not worth the pain of
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