IRS e-mail audit scam
The Michigan Department of Treasury recently received an alert from the Internal Revenue Service about a fraudulent scam being conducted via e-mail for which you should be on the look out. Some taxpayers have received an e mail from a non- IRS source indicating that the taxpayer is being audited and needs to complete a questionnaire within 48 hours to avoid the assessment of penalties and interest. The e-mail refers to an “e-audit” and references IRS form 1040. The taxpayer is asked for social security numbers, bank account numbers and other confidential information. THIS E MAIL IS NOT FROM THE IRS. THE IRS DOES NOT CONDUCT E-AUDITS, NOR DOES IT NOTIFY TAXPAYERS OF A PENDING AUDIT VIA E MAIL. Do not provide the requested information – this may be an identity-theft attempt. If you receive an e-mail of this nature (the source may be from the domain blesstheday.com), please immediately contact the Internal Revenue Service office in your area.
This is a well thought out scam. While it lacks the appeal to cupidity of most classic cons, it nonetheless combines a threat with an air of legitimacy intended to get people to respond without thinking. It doesn’t take a psychic to guess that this information will be used to steal and assume the identities of those imprudent enough to respond.
