The promise of tax refunds, rebate checks, or 2008 Stimulus Payments has caused a surge in phishing scams and many anxious tax filers are falling for it. Frequently, as the news has been reporting, these come in the form of emails. However, there is another type of phishing that seems to have been left out. The other way for scammers to gather your personal info does not involve an email and is happening on websites including right here on AC. Don’t fall for this tactic, learn how to spot a fake IRS website, safely check your rebate status without entering anything, and keep your personal info safe!
1. Learn how to identify and avoid fake IRS websites.
I found a link to a fake IRS site but it didn’t come in my email. I found a link to the phishing website while surfing the web. Specifically, I found the link right here on one of these Associated Content pages. AC articles can take comments from member and non-member commenters. Occasionally non-members come not to read the article, but to piggyback on popular articles and post ads with typed links, links which you should be cautious of.
In the comments on a popular article right here on Associated Content, one non-member commenter left a link to what looked like a fake IRS website. The website did not begin with http://www.irs.gov/ however, it had the letters www.irs.gov somewhere within the address, making it appear official when it really wasn’t. According to the IRS website, ALL official IRS websites will start with http://www.irs.gov/ meaning ANY website that doesn’t start with exactly that is a fake, a scam website. ( Note that the exception to this is the IRS’s search result page, which starts http://search.irs.gov/ however, entering just that in your address bar redirects to the IRS homepage, with the official address. You get to the search results page by doing searches on official pages, or if you save a particular past search you did on the site, such as in your favorites. )
What does a fake site look like? Often, an unofficial scam site will look just like the official site, but the address will be different. The was the case for the site I saw, it looked exactly like the official site. Sometimes the only way to id a phishing website is to carefully check the address before opening the page, and the address bar in your Internet program if you open it. If links are posted in the comment section of this article, please do not use them, instead, go to the official IRS homepage and use the search box to find what you’re looking for.
2. Has your identity been compromised?
Within the comments of that particular AC article where I found the malicious link, someone even thanked the non-member guest commenter, for providing that link. Others posted comments stating that they had used it, or tried to use it. These people, if they used the link and entered anything, have probably just had their identity stolen, or at least compromised. According to many phishing FAQs, simply opening a link doesn’t compromise your info, although it’s best to be cautious of any suspicious looking links. However, the website asked for a social security number. Entering personal information into an unofficial site will compromise your identity and appropriate action should be taken. Go to the official IRS site and search “Identity Theft and Your Tax Records” to find out what to do.
Was the commenter who posted the link a phisher? Or were they another innocent victim, who also fell for the scam and thought they were being helpful, by suggesting the link? Who knows?
3. Safely check your tax rebate / Stimulus Payment status without entering anything.
Did you know you can check on the status of your Stimulus Payment check or tax rebate check without entering anything? You can, assuming you filed your tax return by April 15. Simply go to the International Revenue Service’s website and enter “Stimulus Payment Schedule” in the search box. You can also find the page by just searching for “payment”. Similar searches such as “Where’s My Stimulus Payment?” and “Where’s My Refund?” will eventually take you to the schedule page, but they are less direct. There are also a lot of helpful links on the International Revenue Service homepage which will take you there.
You will find a page titled “Stimulus Payment Schedule for Tax Returns Processed by April 15” which will give you a list of when the money will be sent out. You don’t have to enter anything. You just have to know what your social security number is and look at the screen.
There is also an online calculator to estimate the amount of money you’re getting in the rebate check. To use it, you will have to answer a few questions. However, none of it will be personally identifying information, or PII, such as a social security number, name, or address.
On the official IRS website, there is also a place to check when your tax refund’s coming. Again, this is easily found using their official search box or through a link on front page of the International Revenue Service’s website. The tax refund is different from the Stimulus Payment Package and you will have to enter some personal info. Just make sure you start at http://www.irs.gov/ before entering anything.
There are many phishing scams on the internet. Phishing scams can also come in a phone call. Some links found on line may not be official IRS websites, but a phishing attempt. Even if the site looks official, don’t enter any personal info without carefully checking the site’s address and being certain that it’s official. Often it’s safer, and easier than you might think, just to start at the official homepage and look up the info yourself. On the International Revenue Service’s site you will also find a way to report phishing emails and scam websites. Please do so. Help others and keep your personal info safe.
Sources: http://www.irs.gov/ , http://www.associatedcontent.com/
Helpful links: http://www.ftc.gov/ , http://www.ssa.gov/
