President Barack Obama's economic stimulus package remains in flux on Capitol Hill, but e-mail con artists are already seeking to prey on gullible taxpayers.
Taxpayers are warned to be on the lookout for an e-mail scam that claims the Internal Revenue Service has a stimulus payment to send. One e-mail that's making the rounds on the Internet carries a duplicate of the IRS logo, apparently lifted from the agency's Web site, and claims the recipient is eligible for a stimulus payment that awards a federal tax rebate check.
The e-mail, a retread of a scam launched last year, asks for the recipient's Social Security number and debit card information. The intent is simply identi
ty theft, said Luis Garcia, a Michigan spokesman for the IRS.
"It's a total scam. These guys are starting to get much more sophisticated," Garcia said. "Especially those who are new to e-mail, they can easily be taken by this."
Officials emphasize that the IRS never sends unsolicited e-mails to taxpayers.
Most disturbing is the fact that the fraudulent e-mails may contain a "worm" that can mine a recipient's computer hard-drive and extract personal information.
The IRS advises that computer-users refrain from opening an e-mail referring to stimulus payments. Instead, forward them to phishing@IRS.com. IRS officials say they can track down phony stimulus offers from across the globe.
Last year, the IRS warned of numerous Internet scams when the Bush administration distributed stimulus checks to taxpayers.
This year's stimulus plan is not expected to offer lump sum checks but rather a cut in income tax withholdings. So, there are no stimulus payments to be collected by the average taxpayer.
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