WARNING: IRS Scam Alert

[AngelinaCat]

When checking your email, be on watch for fake emails that purport to be from the IRS about undereporting of income or something similar. This was in our Inbox this morning:

From: automailer @ irs.gov
Sent: 11/10/2009 6:51:47 PM
To: sensepatdalpatdal @ xxxx.net [not even our edress]
Cc:
Subject: Notice of Underreported Income

Taxpayer ID: sensepatdalpatdal-00000534632506US
Tax Type: INCOME TAX
Issue: Unreported/Underreported Income (Fraud Application)
Please review your tax statement on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website (click on the link below):

review tax statement for taxpayer id: sensepatdalpatdal-00000534632506US [Links have been disabled. It originated in the UK.]

Internal Revenue Service

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Whatever you do, do NOT click on any link. If you do so, you are enabling the other end to put a 'cookie' on your computer that can then be used to harvest information or install a virus, or trojan on your machine.

Simply delete the message and go on to your other mail.

[NoMoreCards]

I just wanted to add to this, that banks and credit unions will NEVER email you asking for passwords, or account information.

So please...Never, Ever respond to these types of emails. If you ever get one which you believe "might" be the real thing, CALL your bank.

Banks know your account information, and your passwords...there is no reason they would ever have to ask for this via email.

[AngelinaCat]

Thank you NMC, for following me up with that very important information. I was so focused on getting the word out about this latest scam, that I overlooked adding that.

[lala]

Thanks, I got the same email back on october 11! Knew it was a scam pretty much immediately. IRS would never email something like that. Unfortunately lots of senior citizens (like my Grandmother!) aren't so savvy!

[Snickers]

Thanks, I got the same email back on october 11! Knew it was a scam pretty much immediately. IRS would never email something like that. Unfortunately lots of senior citizens (like my Grandmother!) aren't so savvy!

Then Grandma should be driving a Mac.

Oops, forgot to add that the IRS website has a link to report phishing emails:

http://www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=179820,00.html

Quote from the top of that page:
"The IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through e-mail."

[frogger]

Another thing that helps is a good spam filter. If you don't have one, you can find a free version here:

http://www.spamfighter.com/

This will eliminate 90+ % of your spam, and you have the ability to blacklist/whitelist and mark spam.

Everyone is on my blacklist unless I approve them to get in.......

@mods - if the link is out of line, please delete. Not soliciting for anyone. It's just good and the free version works great!

[AngelinaCatHub]

PayPal has been a victim in the fraud as well. Ours came like, your PayPal account will be closed due to fraud, please follow this link to verify your account. DON'T DO IT!!! 'Hub

[abby2]

Thanks, shortly after reading your post, I checked my e-mail and there it was- an e-mail from the "IRS" about "under reporting of Income". Also, a notice from my virus scan software- it detected and quarantined a Trojan virus. Many thanks for this and ALL advice!!

[joek]

possible keylogger or spoof?

[AngelinaCat]

possible keylogger or spoof?

Both.

[joek]

what would be nice , if ya could run a netstat -n command and get the ip of the pc that was doing this if infected lol

[joek]

then of course, run a reverse DNS to get the exact physical address

[AngelinaCat]

I know. But after you do all of that, you find that the originator is somewhere overseas.

Internet Law is extremely weak and you cannot touch them. You have to put the actual person's fingers on the keyboard at the time of the incident. Trying to get to the point where you can present a case in a courtroom is very expensive and almost impossible. This is one of the factors that drove 'Hub and I to BK.

We have been the victims of cyberstalking for more than eight years. Our money ran out while the perpetrators still had their site in this country, and had a chance. Now their site is located somewhere in China. They accomplished what they wanted--our financial demise.....

[joek]

wow, didnt think about overseas