In the last week, I have received about one email per day from someone claiming to be the IRS. The messages are all the same and tell me the IRS could not process my tax return because I did not provide all of the required documents. The message has a .zip file attachment and goes on to instruct me to open the attachment to see “a list of missing documents.”
Here is an image of the email message I received - IRS Scam Email.
This is a very convincing (almost sophisticated) phishing scheme. What is phishing? It is a scam typically carried out by unsolicited e-mail and/or websites that pose as legitimate sites and lure unsuspecting victims to provide personal and financial information.
Phishing – IRS YouTube Channel
The IRS wants taxpayers to know the IRS will not initiate communication with you through email. In fact, if you receive a message like the one above, the IRS wants you to report it to them. In addition, if you believe you have been the victim of identity theft the IRS has numerous resources to assist you. Below are links for more information:
Suspicious Emails and Identity Theft
