Online Tax Pros- Online Tax Help: phishing

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Revenue warns of scam emails offering tax refund

Beware emails claiming you are due a tax refund and asking for your bank details.

The Revenue will never send messages about tax rebates by email. Photograph: Sarah Lee for the Guardian

Taxpayers are being warned to look out for scam emails claiming to be sent by HM Revenue & Customs, after almost 80,000 phishing messages about tax rebates were reported in 2012.

The emails state that HMRC has reviewed the recipient's tax return and found that they are in line for a rebate, then asks for personal details, including credit card or banking details, in order to make the refund.
However, HMRC will never email a taxpayer about a rebate, and posts out payment orders to those who are owed money. The Revenue lists examples of fake emails on its website, which consumers can check.

In 2012, HMRC took action to close down 522 illegal sites that had been sending out the messages, hosted in a number of countries including the US, Russia and Japan, as well as central and eastern Europe.

There was an increase in phishing emails after the HMRC deadline for self-assessment tax returns on January 31, 2012.

Gareth Lloyd, head of digital security for HMRC, urged customers to send on emails to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk so it could investigate them.

"HMRC do everything we can to ensure customers are safe online and we are working closely with other law enforcement agencies to target the criminals behind this serious crime," he said.

HMRC said anyone who had answered one of these emails should forward it and disclosed details to security.custcon@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/feb/19/revenue-scam-emails-tax-refund

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Monday, January 14, 2013

Beware of Phishing Scams During Tax Season

Like many other phishing scams, identity thieves may try to take advantage of Americans filing their taxes by sending fake emails, texts or social media postings supposedly from the IRS. But one data security proponent at the University of Georgia is warning taxpayers to be suspicious if they receive any electronic communications from the IRS seeking personal information.

“If you receive an email from the IRS that asks for your Social Security number, birth date or similar personal information, or requires some sort of action on your part, it is highly likely that it is a fake,” said Laura Heilman, UGA security awareness training and education manager. “Do not open the email or any attachments that came with it.”

The IRS only sends communications through physical mail and doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers via email, text messages or social media, she said.

Heilman also suggests not opening links in the suspicious emails from the IRS. She says delete the email or forward it to phishing@irs.gov for review by the IRS.

The IRS says the following may be indications of tax-related identify theft:

• You receive a letter from the IRS because more than one tax return has been filed under your name;
• You get a notice or bill for unpaid taxes on wages you did not earn;
• The IRS lists employers you did not work for on your record.
Those who believe someone may have stolen their identities for the purposes of tax fraud may need to file IRS Form 14039, Heilman added.

For more information provided by the IRS about identity fraud, see http://www.irs.gov/uac/Taxpayer-Guide-to-Identity-Theft.