i got a call from client this morning. he got an email from IRS saying he had additional refund of $189. wanted to know if this was a scam, i told him i thought so, the IRS doesn't email. Was i right? i've read somewhere that the IRS does not email or telephone, all their communications are by mail.
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Definitely a scam. The IRS does not contact taxpayers by email. I think they have an email address you can forward the fake email to so they can investigate. -
Yes, you are 100% correct. (lest there has recently been some drastic change which we haven't heard of -- which is highly unlikely)Comment
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No Emails
You are correct, the IRS does not email.
From News Release IR-2009-41SandyPhishing
Phishing is a tactic used by Internet-based scam artists to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing personal or financial information. The criminals use the information to steal the victim’s identity, access bank accounts, run up credit card charges or apply for loans in the victim’s name.
Phishing scams often take the form of an e-mail that appears to come from a legitimate source, including the IRS. The IRS never initiates unsolicited e-mail contact with taxpayers about their tax issues. Taxpayers who receive unsolicited e-mails that claim to be from the IRS can forward the message to phishing@irs.gov. Further instructions are available at IRS.gov. To date, taxpayers have forwarded scam e-mails reflecting thousands of confirmed IRS phishing sites. If you believe you have been the target of an identity thief, information is available at IRS.gov.Comment
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IRS does not e-mail
I have had clients get these e-mail and I ask where the IRS got their e-mail. Then it clicks!Jiggers, EAComment
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I have clients also recieved email...
about additional bogus refunds. Just more stuff we tax preparers have to deal with.Comment
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Forward it to the IRS
At a tax seminar last week, the IRS rep said that it is important that we or our clients forward the spam email to their fraud unit, address: phishing@irs.gov
He said the IRS can shut down the url address in the spam in less than an hour and that will prevent some naive people from going there when they get the message."A man that holds a cat by the tail learns something he can learn no other way." - Mark TwainComment
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email questions to IRS
[QUOTE=S T;82717]You are correct, the IRS does not email.
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/QUOTE]
Somewhere in the www.irs.gov IRS website, there is a link to e-mail tax questions to the IRS. I have used that link in the past. So, to that extent, the IRS does e-mail.Comment
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Respond Only
The IRS does not INITIATE an e-mail correspondence. If you e-mail them, they will respond to you via e-mail.Comment
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