IRS Warns of e-Mail Scam about Tax Refunds - December 16, 2005
The Internal Revenue Service has issued a consumer alert about an Internet "Phishing" scam in which consumers receive an e-mail informing them of a tax refund. The e-mail, which claims to be from the IRS, directs the consumer to a link that requests personal information, such as Social Security number and credit card information.
This scheme is an attempt to trick the e-mail recipients into disclosing their personal and financial data. The information fraudulently obtained is then used to steal the taxpayer’s identity and financial assets.
The bogus e-mail, which claims to come from "tax-refunds@irs.gov" tells the recipient that he or she is eligible to receive a tax refund for a given amount. It then says that, to access a form for the tax refund, the recipient must use a link contained in the e-mail. The link then asks for the personal and financial information.
The IRS does not ask for personal identifying or financial information via unsolicited e-mail. Additionally, taxpayers do not have to complete a special form to obtain a refund.
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* * * * * January 17, 2006 Michigan Bankers Association Warns Public of Fraudulent Telephone Scheme
MBA encourages citizens to protect personal financial account information from unsolicited telephone callers
LANSING, Mich. —Michigan residents may fall victim to financial fraud if they give personal financial account information to unsolicited phone callers, warned the MBA. Recently, several senior citizens have been targeted and asked for their account numbers by persons posing as bank representatives. “The Michigan Bankers Association wants the public to know that banks and financial institutions already have your personal financial information, and they will never make phone calls asking customers for something they already have,” said Todd Willoughby, Vice President of Communications for Michigan Bankers Association. “In fact, keeping your financial and personal information secure and confidential is one of our most important responsibilities. That’s why we operate under a detailed and rigorous information security policy. Taking just a few easy precautions can help protect your financial and personal information against identity theft.” Some of these precautions are: 1) Protect your checking and other account information—only give information to trusted sources; 2) Beware of phone calls from someone claiming to call from your bank—banks and other financial institutions don’t make phone calls asking for account information; 3) Guard your financial information carefully—store both new and cancelled checks in a safe place; 4) Keep your ATM pin number in a safe place—don’t write personal identification numbers on your card and never store your pin number in your purse or wallet; 5) Financial fraud is a crime—if you are solicited for personal financial information call the police and report it. Call your bank and alert them as well. The Michigan Bankers Association is an association of Michigan financial institutions with over 2,300 branches located throughout the state with combined assets of over $200 billion. It is the mission of the MBA to advance a positive business environment for the Michigan banking industry and to foster safe, profitable, and successful banks, which in turn promote strong communities and economic activity in Michigan.
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