EFTPS Cited in New E-mail Scam

Taxpayers are now encountering a new e-mail scam that uses the Treasury Department's Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) “as a hook to lure individuals into disclosing their personal information,” IRS warned on July 19. The EFTPS allows businesses and individuals to pay all their federal taxes online or by phone.

As described by IRS, the latest e-mail scam looks like a page from the agency Web site, is replete with grammatical errors and typos, and claims to be from the “IRS Antifraud Commission” (sic), a fictitious group. The e-mail claims someone has enrolled the taxpayer's credit card in EFTPS and has tried to pay taxes with it. The e-mail also warns of fraud attempts involving the taxpayer's bank account. Finally, it claims money was lost and “remaining founds” (sic) are blocked, and directs recipients to click on a link that asks them to provide personal information in order to recover their funds. The illicitly obtained information can then be used to steal a taxpayer's identity.

The IRS reiterated that it never sends unsolicited e-mails asking taxpayers for personal information and never requests secret access information for their credit card, bank or other financial accounts. In June, IRS received nearly 1,300 bogus e-mails forwarded by taxpayers, the agency said. Taxpayers are urged to send any information about suspicious e-mails they receive to phishing@irs.gov.