WASHINGTON, DC– Thursday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) warned taxpayers to be aware that several e-mail and telephone scams are being used to collect taxpayers' personal and financial information using the Internal Revenue Services' (IRS) name. The IRS expects the scams to continue through the end of tax return filing season and beyond. Cantwell is warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams involving proposed advance payment checks.  The goal of the scams is to trick people into revealing personal and financial information, such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, which the scammers can use to commit identity theft.

 

“Identity theft should be the least of people’s worries during tax filing season,” said Cantwell. “I urge all Washingtonians to be wary of anything that 'sounds too good to be true' and keep their personal and financial information secure. Victims of identity theft can spend months, or even years, working to rebuild their hard earned money and credit history.”

 

The two main scams are the rebate phone call, where a person identifying themselves as an IRS employee tells consumers they are receiving a rebate and then ask for their personal information which can then be used for identity theft. Another scam is the refund-related e-mail which states it is from the IRS and asks people for their personal information via e-mail. Other scams include an "audit" or "changes to tax law" email.  In the "audit" email scam, taxpayers are sent an email saying that he or she has been audited and asks the recipient to fill out a form with personal and account information.  In the "changes to tax law" email, recipients are asked to download information on tax law changes, which may activate a virus on the recipient's computer that looks for passwords and other secure information. In a telephone scam, a caller states that IRS is attempting to verify bank account numbers and information.   

 

 The IRS has set-up a website for taxpayers to forward questionable e-mails: phishing@irs.gov  

 

Taxpayers may download forms and publications from the official IRS Web site, www.irs.gov or by calling the IRS toll-free number for general tax questions is 1-800-829-1040. 

 

# # #