IRS: Electronic tax scams surge 400%

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/taxes/irs-electronic-tax-scams-surge-400percent/ar-BBpFBG8?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

Email and texting scams designed to trick U.S. taxpayers into providing personal data have surged 400% so far this year, the IRS warned Thursday in a renewed consumer alert.The schemes involve so-called phishing messages designed to trick taxpayers into believing the emails and texts represent official communications from the IRS, tax software companies or others in the tax industry.

The messages typically ask for data related to tax refunds, filing status, or seek confirmation of personal information, including ordering IRS transcripts or verification of IRS Personal Identification Numbers, the tax agency said.When consumers click on the email links, they are sent to what appear to be government websites that ask for Social Security numbers and other personal information that identity thieves can use to file false tax returns and collect refunds, the IRS said.

The sites may also contain malware that infect taxpayers' computers and enable cyberthieves to gain access to files or track consumers' keystrokes to get personal data."This dramatic jump in these scams comes at the busiest time of tax season, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen warned. "Watch out for fraudsters slipping these official-looking emails into inboxes, trying to confuse people at the very time they work on their taxes. We urge people not to click on these emails."