Beware of Email Scams

IRS Warns of New E-Mail Scam * *

The IRS is warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for a new e-mail scam that appears to be a solicitation from the IRS and the U.S. government for charitable contributions to victims of the recent Southern California wildfires.

In an effort to appear legitimate, the bogus e-mails include text from an actual speech about the wildfires by a member of the California Assembly. The scam e-mail urges recipients to click on a link, which then opens what appears to be the IRS website but which is, in fact, a fake. An item on the phony website urges donations and includes a link that opens a donation form which requests the recipient's personal and financial information.

The IRS also believes that clicking on the link downloads malware, or malicious software, onto the recipient's computer. The malware will steal passwords and other account information it finds on the victim's computer system and send them to the scamster.

The IRS does not send e-mails soliciting charitable donations. As a rule, the IRS does not send unsolicited e-mails or ask for personal and financial information via e-mail. The IRS never asks people for the PIN numbers, passwords or similar secret access information for their credit card, bank or other financial accounts.