The IRS is cautioning taxpayers to be on the lookout for a new wave of scams using the IRS name in identity theft e-mails, or phishing, that have circulated during the last two months.

Many of the phony e-mails use the pretense of a refund and direct the recipient to follow a link that goes to a website that mimics the IRS website. The phony website is used to collect personal and financial information from the recipient. Other scams are more malicious in that by unwittingly clicking the link, the recipient downloads malware which can hijack a victim’s computer hard drive to give someone remote access to the computer, search for passwords and other information, and send them to the scammer. Malware can also cause other types of identity theft or damage.

A new version of an earlier scam consists of a cover letter and form that are faxed to the victim. The cover letter is addressed “Dear Valued Tax Payer” and appears to be signed by an IRS employee. The letter says that the IRS is updating its files and that recipients who supply the requested information will receive a nominal tax refund. It also states that those who fail to immediately return the completed form risk additional tax and withholding. The attached form is labeled a substitute Form 1040 and is titled “Certificate of Current Status of Beneficial Owner For United States Tax Recertification & Withholding.” It requests a large amount of detailed personal and financial information, such as mother’s maiden name (often used in security screening), bank account numbers, estimated assets, and more. It asks the recipient to sign and fax back the completed form, as well as a copy of the recipient’s driver’s license and passport.

Additional details on the latest scams are available on the IRS website.

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