IRS Refund “Phish”
Remar Sutton, DCU StreetWise Spokesperson
Faking e-mails from the IRS is a popular “phish.” This recent one uses a tax refund as the hook.
The first clue that this is a “phish” is that the IRS never uses e-mail to initiate contact with taxpayers.
Other clues that indicate this message is a “phish.”
- Typos such as the amount (in red), which has comma instead of a decimal point.
- The attachment (in blue) is a web page.
- The stilted wording of the sentence “Please view the message from the attachment file.”
- The emphasis in the last sentence on preventing fraudulent activity and further information theft.
To avoid phishing scams remember:
- Reputable companies, financial institutions, and government agencies NEVER send e-mails, make phone calls or send letters asking for personal information and account information they already have on file.
- Never call the phone number in an e-mail message.
- Never click on links in these sorts of e-mails.
Breaking news analysis prepared for DCU by Remar Sutton & Associates, May 2008.
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