Released on: March 4, 2008, 1:19 pm

Press Release Author: Howard Schwartz-Director of Communications, BBB CT

Industry: Non Profit

Press Release Summary: Know the "red flags" and how to avoid them

Press Release Body: Wallingford, CT - March 5, 2008 - As the April 15 deadline for
filing your 2007 income tax return approaches, Better Business Bureau Connecticut
has a warning: Tax fraud is heading your way to a mailbox, telephone or e-mail inbox
near you.
The President of Better Business Bureau Connecticut, Paulette Hotton, says,
"Identity thieves, con artists and others who are looking to obtain your personal
information may pose as agents of the Internal Revenue Service, causing Connecticut
taxpayers to get caught in their trap.
Income tax time is a stressful time of year and tax-time scammers often prey upon
consumers' anxiety and trust.
"These scammers," explains Hotton, are very adept at posing as I.R.S.
representatives whether over the phone, by mail or e-mail. Once they get consumers'
trust they move quickly to fooling victims into giving out precious personal and
financial information."
Many victims are caught off guard by official-looking e-mails with a logo from the
I.R.S., credit card companies or financial institutions and in many cases are
addressed to the recipient by name.
Know the Red Flags:
1. If the I.R.S. has questions or concerns about a tax return they typically contact
the consumer by telephone, not e-mail. Some of these schemes are executed outside
the United States and may have spelling or grammatical errors.
Continued.
IRS FRAUD / PAGE 2
2. Better Business Bureau warns consumers about one particular scam in which the con
artists pose as Internal Revenue Service representatives, saying they are calling to
verify a taxpayer's bank account number because the I.R.S. "has noticed the
individual has not yet cashed their tax refund check." The I.R.S. does not monitor
whether taxpayers cash refund checks or not, and the Service primarily communicates
with taxpayers by telephone or in writing through the U.S. Postal Service.
3. In a new twist aimed at non-U.S. residents subject to the U.S. tax code, the
I.R.S. reports that non-U.S. residents are receiving bogus letters in the mail along
with a fake form W-8BEN to establish appropriate tax withholding. Recipients are
asked to fill out the form and include account numbers, Personal Identification
(PIN) numbers, their mother's maiden name and their passport number. If you receive
any tax-related forms, you should go online and verify the authenticity of the forms
on the I.R.S. web site to those sent via e-mail. Form W-8BEN, for example, does not
ask for personal information.
4. The scammers may also be after your tax refund check. With the approval of the
2008 economic stimulus package, consumers are advised to be on the lookout for
refund scams. They may come in the form of e-mails, letters and telephone
solicitations designed to separate consumers from their tax refunds. While we have
no specific information on any tax refund scams so far this year, Better Business
Bureau says it is only a matter of time. BBB is advising consumers that they may
receive what looks like a legitimate I.R.S. check in the mail, including
instructions to wire money back to the I.R.S. or some other third party whom is
supposedly processing the check on behalf of the I.R.S. to cover "fees" or "taxes."
Better Business Bureau is also advising taxpayers they will almost assuredly receive
phone calls or e-mail trying to trick them into submitting personal information to
receive their refund checks.
"The bottom line is that consumers do not need to divulge any information beyond
filing tax returns, nor wire money for any purpose to receive their refund check.
Our web site, www.bbb.org, provides trustworthy advice on tax season issues and
other personal finance topics," adds Hotton.


Web Site: http://www.bbb.org

Contact Details: Better Business Bureau Connecticut
94 South Turnpike Rd
Wallingford,CT 06492