IRS Warns of New Email Scam

The Internal Revenue Service in Ohio is warning taxpayers about an email scam about electronic federal tax payments.  

The bogus email says tax payments made by the email recipients through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) have been rejected and directs them to a bogus link that downloads malicious software  that infects the victim’s computer.  

The scammer then uses this personal and financial information to commit identity theft.

“The IRS doesn’t send unsolicited emails to taxpayers about their tax accounts and doesn’t communicate payment information through email,” said IRS spokeswoman Jennifer Jenkins.

Jenkins said  some scammers are using real or made-up employee names, addresses and similar information to make their emails seem credible.

If you receive a suspicious email, "Don’t click on any links, don’t open any attachments, and don’t reply to the sender,” she said.

The IRS asks taxpayers to forward suspicious emails to the IRS. After the email and/or header information has been sent to the IRS, delete the original email message.

Taxpayers who suspect that a website has falsely represented itself as affiliated with the IRS are requested to report the website by sending the URL of the site to phishing@IRS.gov, using “Suspicious website” as the email subject line.

Any taxpayers who responded to the EFTPS or other tax-related scam and who believe they may have become the victim of identity theft should review the identity theft information on the official IRS website and report the incident.