Email scam

[Bees Knees]

We just received this email:

Your Paychex and TurboTax payment with daily balance report request has been
rejected.
Return Reason Code R19 - The identification number used in the Company
Identification Field is not valid.

Please, check the information and refer to Code R19 to get details about
your company Paychex daily balance report and TurboTax request in
transaction contacts section:

[url link to bogus website]

In other way forward information to your accountant advisor.

Paychex Agency, Inc. Disclaimer and TurboTax Intuit Inc.
Security Certification of the TurboTax Online application has been performed
by C-Level Security.

They are Phishing for Federal business Tax IDs. The website link tries to get your EIN and bank account number.

For those of you doing payroll, you should let your clients know this is bogus and not to click on the link provided.

[luke]

Thanks

Bees - this is one of my "pet peeves" (A BIG ONE!)
this "free/unrestricted" internet is full of this kinda Crap!
There NEED to be SOME controls on this "free flow of information"
How about banning "junk mail"-Spam like the post office did!?
AND SEVERE penalties for abusers (who are mostly CRIMINALS anyway!
Whew thanks for letting me VENT!

[JohnH]

I think something as simple as charging a penny per email sent with identical wording would put a serious dent in the volume of SPAM. But then maybe I'm naive.

[Bees Knees]

The problem is, the internet is international. How do you impose rules on emails that originate in Russia?

[Burke]

Client called me today with the same email scam only it said EFTPS system and code R21. She tried to click on the url and access the website but was unable to get to it. I told her not to do anything as it appeared to be phony. She doesn't even use the EFTPS system. She was unable to determine where it came from as no IP address was shown (she says) but the "In other way..." comment is screaming that it is from another country where English is not the primary language.

[WhiteOleander]

I think something as simple as charging a penny per email sent with identical wording would put a serious dent in the volume of SPAM. But then maybe I'm naive.

I've always said this would curtail unwanted phone marketers. If everytime one of them called your phone, 25 cents was tranferred to your phone bill from the caller, they'd be sure you wanted the call first.

[S T]

Thanks

Bees,
thanks for the post - while I have not received for Quickbooks (Intuit product), I just sent an email to my QB clients to alert them.

Sandy

[taxea]

forward the email to hishing@irs.gov

[DonPriebe]

comment is screaming that it is from another country where English is not the primary language.

You mean this one may not be legit ???

CYBER WIRETAP AND FUNDS RECOVERY DEPARTMENT,
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI.
J.EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, D.C
20535-0001, USA.
WEB PAGE: www.fbi.gov

Kind Attention,

We believe this notification meets you in a very good state of mind and health. The FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) Washington, D.C United States of America in conjunction with some other relevant Investigative Agencies here in the USA have recently been informed through our Global intelligence monitoring network that you have a pending FUND transaction with a Bank regarding to an over-due Inheritance / Award payment which was fully endorsed to be paid in your favor. ...

[Burke]

It is absolutely amazing how many people fall for these letters/email, etc especially since they have been around now for over 15 years and have received so much publicity. But they keep coming -- because they work! And on the Internet you don't even have to pay the postage anymore.

[taxxcpa]

Scams

The other day I got a phone call telling me my American National Bank debit card had been compromised. I had no such debit card, so I pretended that I'd been suckered in and entered my16-digit account code:1234567887654321. They said that was not a valid code, so I entered another fake number. The thrid time I entered sixteen asterisks and they said "Good Bye."

[gkaiseril]

It is absolutely amazing how many people fall for these letters/email, etc especially since they have been around now for over 15 years and have received so much publicity. But they keep coming -- because they work! And on the Internet you don't even have to pay the postage anymore.

And Publishers Clearing House is still sending out and being sued over misleading contest winner letters.

I have a whole collection of 'FBI' emails saying that I am entitled to some obscure funds.

These scams work because the states collect and distribute escheated and other 'lost' funds but there is an entitlement verification and the funds are sent by mail and check and no asking for bank account information.

[taxea]

forward the email to hishing@irs.gov

I repeat the above

[taxxcpa]

Escheat funds

And Publishers Clearing House is still sending out and being sued over misleading contest winner letters.

I have a whole collection of 'FBI' emails saying that I am entitled to some obscure funds.

These scams work because the states collect and distribute escheated and other 'lost' funds but there is an entitlement verification and the funds are sent by mail and check and no asking for bank account information.

I got a little over $ 600 a few days ago from the State for something that had apparently escheated to the state when I changed addresses. I have no idea what it was, but someone apparently checks these things and gets their fee subtracted from the total people like me receive. I was happy to have it reduced by the fee.

The inquiry I received was from the State Comptroller and was by mail. I had to provide a copy of my drivers license and social security card and an old property tax receipt from my former address.

[JohnH]

I have to hand it to these people, they try every angle.
Here's one I received this morning.
I'm giving them top grades for creativity...

===============================================
Western Union Money Transfer
EMS Post Office Agent Location
Lagos, Nigeria

Dear
In a bid to redeem the image of Nigeria and commemoration of their 50th year of anniversary, the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA through the EFCC deposited the sum of $60,000 each as compensation to scammed victims we have on our database. Your email happens to be one of them that is why you where contacted by the EFCC FRAUD MONITORING UNIT.

To this effect, we acknowledge the receipt of your email and in regard to the fund (US$150,000.00) deposited here by The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to be transferred to you. For security reasons and to safe guard your fund, proper verifications must be carried out before the fund is transferred.
We require the details below to compare with the details submitted to us by the depositor the EFCC Mr Adam Smith to enable us transfer your fund to you without misappropriation, you can pick-up the fund at any Western Union® Agent locations in your State.
Please fill out the following form. All fields mark with * are required.

Full Name*:
Address*:

Country*:
Sex*:
Age:
Telephone Number*:
As soon as these details are received and verified as a true and accurate copy, your fund will be transferred. Your reference number on file Wu/ref/04/05/08/544 should be requested from anybody claiming to be our agent to avoid being scammed once again.
*IMPORTANT NOTICE: This is a third-party transaction and we have been given the right by the depositor to cancel this transaction if your details does not match the Beneficiary details given to us by the depositor*
If you have questions or need assistance, our team is here to help. call us with this cell phone number here +234-706-6672-318,for more discussion.

Best Regards,
Mr. William Smith.

===========================================