I received an email today from notice@irslegalnotice.com with the subject Fiscal Activity – Tax Refund that actually made me consider clicking on it – but I always check these things out first and luckily I did. This email is a “Phishing” scam where basically if you click the link it will take you to a site that may look official and then when you enter your all-too-personal info, the crooks steal it and your identity right along with it.
So DON’T CLICK THE LINK. The IRS has an article where they give you more information about this scam and are asking you to forward the email to this email address: phishing@irs.gov.
Below is a copy of the email:
From: Internal Revenue Service [mailto:notice@irslegalnotice.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 7:17 AM
Subject: Fiscal Activity – Tax RefundAfter the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity
we have determined that you are eligible to receive
a tax refund under section 501(c) (3) of the
Internal Revenue Code. Tax refund value is $189.60.
Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 6-9 days
in order to IWP the data received.
If u don’t receive your refund within 9 business
days from the original IRS mailing date shown,
you can start a refund trace online.If you distribute funds to other organization, your records must show wether
they are exempt under section 497 (c) (15). In cases where the recipient org.
is not exempt under section 497 (c) (15), you must have evidence the funds will
be used for section 497 (c) (15) purposes.If you distribute fund to individuals, you should keep case histories showing
the recipient’s name and address; the purpose of the award; the maner of
section; and the realtionship of the recipient to any of your officers, directors,
trustees, members, or major contributors.To access the form for your tax refund, please click here (link removed)
This notification has been sent by the Internal Revenue Service,
a bureau of the Department of the Treasury.
Sincerely Yours,John Stewart
Director, Exempt. Organization
Rulings and Agreements Letter
Internal Revenue Service
Did you get one of these emails?
About Kim
Great advice!
We’ve gotten phishing from fake IRS – not this specific one. Wow, the nerve. The Hallmark e-card almost got me too….have you seen that one? If not for a mis-spelled word, I would have been caught. I think I mispelled mis-spelled. My spell check is giving me red lines…. ah, it’s misspelled. If crooks ever get spell check, we’re really in trouble.
Thank you for the wise advise … everyone needs a reminder now and then as criminals are becoming more aggressive, clever, and successful at spoofing the public. Taking advantage users ignorance, greed, lack of savvy.
Like last year when I rec’d a phone call soliciting my personal information with the promise of a faster avenue to receive my stimulus payment. Fast, convenient, tax refunds can seriously cloud logical thought.
If your going to use the internet it your responsibility to use it wisely. It is not hard to take the time to review the sites certification. EV SSL makes it even easier with the obvious characteristics of a safe site.
Do you know how to check for Extended Validation SSL, the “green=go” url bar, the padlock toggle to view the certifcate and issuer.
The IRS has even published “trustworthy” e-filing sites for users this year. I don’t have the link handy but it is the 15th …. I just filed last night using turbo tax.