(May 13, 2008)

Main topic: Stimulus Package and IRS Related Scams

Scheme of the week: More phony BBB scams target local businesses

Q – Tell us about the current scams related to the tax stimulus.

A- As the economic stimulus checks start going out be aware that scam artists are actively making the rounds using the proposed rebates as bait.

The most recent scams brought to IRS attention are described below.

Rebate Phone Call

At least one scheme using the word “rebate” as part of the lure has been identified. In that scam, consumers receive a phone call from someone identifying himself as an IRS employee. The caller tells the targeted victim that he is eligible for a sizable rebate for filing his taxes early. The caller then states that he needs the target’s bank account information for the direct deposit of the rebate. If the target refuses, he is told that he cannot receive the rebate.

Refund e-mail

The IRS has seen several variations of a refund-related bogus e-mail which falsely claims to come from the IRS, tells the recipient that he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount, and instructs the recipient to click on a link in the e-mail to access a refund claim form. The form asks the recipient to enter personal information that the scamsters can then use to access the e-mail recipient’s bank or credit card account.

Audit e-mail

Using a technique calculated to get almost anyone’s attention, the e-mail notifies the recipient that his or her tax return will be audited. This is the first scam of which the IRS is aware that uses this to get the victim to respond. This e-mail is a phony. The IRS does not send unsolicited, tax-account related e-mails to taxpayers.

Changes to Tax Law e-Mail
This bogus e-mail is addressed to businesses, accountants and “Treasury” managers. It instructs them to download information on tax law changes by clicking on a series of links to publications on businesses, estate taxes, excise taxes, exempt organizations and IRAs and other retirement plans.

Paper Check Phone Call

In a current telephone scam, a caller claims to be an IRS employee who is calling because the IRS sent a check to the individual being called. The caller states that because the check has not been cashed, the IRS wants to verify the individual’s bank account number. The caller may have a foreign accent.

What to Do
Those who have received a questionable e-mail claiming to come from the IRS may forward it to a mailbox the IRS has established to receive such e-mails, phishing@irs.gov, using instructions contained in an article titled “How to Protect Yourself from Suspicious E-Mails or Phishing Schemes.” Following the instructions will help the IRS track the suspicious e-mail to its origins and shut down the scam.

Q - What’s our scheme of the week?

A- We have received calls from businesses that indicate that the phony BBB is alive and well. Specifically:

Businesses are receiving e-mails that appear to be complaints forwarded to them by the Better Business Bureau. (show graphic)

Businesses receiving such questionable e-mails should contact the local BBB.

A local business reported receiving a telephone call supposedly from the Texas Better Business Bureau. The caller had what was termed a “heavy foreign accent”. The caller wanted financial information concerning the business supposedly to update BBB records. Please note that there is no such thing as the Texas Better Business Bureau.

Businesses receiving such questionable calls should contact the local BBB.