Surprise Tax Refund

Instead of a tax rebate this tax season, US Citizens should beware of a sinister scam that may arrive in their inboxes. An email currently being circulated by spammers to look like it’s from the IRS has been observed by Symantec. This spam email which seems to bear the logo of the US treasury department explains that a tax refund is due to the recipient. It encourages the recipient to click upon a URL link to access the refund online. The URL opens a webpage which asks the user if they want to want to “Get Tax Refund on your Visa or Mastercard”. The recipient is then asked to enter their Social Security number, valid Visa or Mastercard number, name, address and many more personal details. The recipient is “helpfully” advised that “a refund can be delayed for a number of reasons”. This allows the spammer enough time to use the personal information collected as they see fit.

Be suspicious of any email that is not from someone in your contact list. 78.5% of all Email is Spam.

Also be sure you not only have anti-virus software, but also a anti-spyware program running on your computer. Most 2008 Anti-Virus programs provide protection against both gremlins.