Jul 30th, 08:45

Tax Rebate Scam Alert, Part 3

Now that you have some knowledge about the most common IRS rebate check scams, you can begin to arm yourself better against fraud, whether the danger of it comes through the phone or right into your harmless inbox. But you must also know that scammers will never stop, not for as long as they can find a way to dupe you. Besides knowing which common forms of rebate check scams are out there, you might want to look into the less unusual styles that con artists can use to hoodwink you.

One scam you should be cautious about, for example, takes the form of an e-mail that informs taxpayers about some significant changes to the current tax law. These e-mails are often addressed to accountants or small businesses, and will contain a good number of links that the law-abiding citizen should click on. Whatever these links are, do not click on them. In a news release by the IRS some time ago, the agency said that the links are suspected of leaching malware into the victim's PC and squirreling away important passwords or credit card information.

Finally, be watchful of more callers who pose as IRS agents. In another new scam that's been unveiled, con artists have been calling up various households in the country to ask if the taxpayer plans to cash his rebate check. Because the check has gone uncashed, the "IRS guy" would like to "help you" by asking for your bank account number for verification purposes. A likely story! The moment they pounce on you with this question, hang up right away. If the caller persists, inform them that you will call up the local police department if they do not stop pestering you.

In the end, it's best to keep a few basic points in mind. For one, the IRS will never send you an e-mail asking for highly personal information, which include – but aren't limited to – bank account and Social Security numbers, credit card information, or passwords for your financial accounts. If you do receive an e-mail that claims to be from the IRS, do not open any attachments or click any links. Instead, forward the e-mail to the IRS, preferably to their department that handles phishing and scams. Don't think twice about fighting these scammers. After all, you're only a victim for as long as you choose to be one.