ALERT- IRS Refund Identity Theft
It's tax refund season, which also means it's open season for identity theft from criminals posing as the Internal Revenue Service. The University of California Irvine has received over 120 identity theft crime reports from their graduate students. In each case, the victim had submitted their IRS tax return, usually electronically, only to be notified by the IRS that someone else has already used their name and/or social security number and claimed a refund.
Authoritities are trying to currently determine how the identity information was compromised. There are also email phishing scams related to IRS refunds that ask users to enter personal information. These emails have reached UNL and are NOT from the IRS. Please do not open or respond to these messages
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From the IRS website:
If you receive an unsolicited e-mail communication claiming to be from the IRS, please forward the original message to: phishing@irs.gov using the instructions provided below. You may not receive an individual response to your e-mail because of the volume of reports we receive each day.
- The IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through e-mail. In addition, the IRS does not request detailed personal information through e-mail or ask taxpayers for the PIN numbers, passwords or similar secret access information for their credit card, bank or other financial accounts.
- Do not open any attachments to questionable e-mails, which may contain malicious code that will infect your computer. Please be advised that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers via e-mails.
How to forward a phishing e-mail
It is important that the original communication you received is included, as well as Internet headers. The following instructions will assist you in forwarding a phishing communication to the IRS.
For more details, go to the IRS website
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There are multiple versions of the phishing email, some have links, others have attachments. In either case, do NOT respond.
Here is one sample:
The email text reads as follows:
Dear Applicant:
After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund under section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax refund value is $352.60.Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 3-6 days in order to IWP the data received.
-If you distribute funds to other organization, your records must show wether they are exempt under section 497 (c) (15). In cases where the recipient org. is not exempt under section 497 (c) (15), you must have evidence the funds will be used for section 497 (c) (15) purposes.
-If you distribute fund to individuals, you should keep case histories showing the recipient's name and address; the purpose of the award; the maner of section; and the realtionship of the recipient to any of your officers, directors,
trustees, members, or major contributors.
To access the form for your tax refund, please click here :
(link)
This notification has been sent by the Internal Revenue Service,a bureau of the Department of the Treasury.
For additional questions, contact the Computer Help Center
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