I thought you might be interested in knowing about this scam so you don't become a victim.
An e-mail claiming to come from the IRS about the "2008 Economic Stimulus Refund" tells recipients to click on a link to fill out a form, apparently for direct deposit of the payment into their bank account. This appears to be an identity theft scheme to obtain recipients' personal and financial information so the scammers can clean out their victims' financial accounts. In reality, taxpayers do not have to fill out a separate form to get a stimulus payment or have it directly deposited; all they had to do was file a tax return and provide direct deposit information on the return.
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Types of Identity Theft/ Fraud
- Telephone Fraud
- Home Repair Fraud
- Predatory Mortgage Lending Practices
- Mail Fraud
- Personal Identity Theft
- Investment Fraud
- Business Ownership Fraud
- Financial Transactions
For more detailed information about the types of identity theft and fraud, please contact the local Better Business Bureau, State Attorney General Office or the Federal Trade Commission.
If You Are A Victim of Identity Theft...
- Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review your credit reports on an annual basis
- Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently
- File a report with the police
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission
- Security Freeze
Identity Theft
Ways To Guard Your Personal Information
- Carry only what you need. Never carry your personal identification numbers or your social security card. Limit the number of credit cards you carry.
- Protect your Social Security Number. Give your social security number only when absolutely necessary. Ask why it is needed. Shred any old documents with social security numbers on it (bank statements, insurance forms, credit applications, etc.)
- Protect Passwords. Don’t share PINs or passwords with anyone. Don’t use the same PIN for different accounts. Avoid using easily available information as passwords or PIN codes.
- Finances. Watch billing cycles for missing bills. Review monthly bills for odd charges.
Security Freeze
Stop access to new credit in your name by ordering the security freeze. This service is free to those that can provide a police report. The report triggers helpful protections under both federal and state law, such as an extended fraud alert and a security freeze. It blocks an identity thief from opening a new account or obtaining credit in your name. If you issue a security freeze an identity thief cannot take out new credit in your name, even if the thief has your social security number or other personal information. There is a $10 fee for temporarily or permanently removing/ lifting the security freeze.
Protect Your Mail
- Deposit outgoing mail into a blue postal service box instead of an unsecured mailbox.
- Don’t leave incoming mail sitting in an unlocked mailbox.
- Call (888)5-OPT-OUT to stop receiving pre-approved credit card applications.
- Reduce commercial advertising by mail; send a letter or postcard with your first and last name, mailing address and signature to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512 (www.dmaconsumers.org).
- Report mail fraud and theft to the postal inspector at 704-329-9120.
Work-at-Home Schemes/Business Related
- Medical Billing Ads for pre-packaged businesses, known as billing centers, are in newspapers, on television and on the Internet.
- Envelope Stuffing Promoters usually advertise that, for a small fee, they will tell you how to earn money stuffing envelopes at home.
- Assembly or Craft Work These programs often require you to invest hundreds of dollars in equipment or supplies or spend hours producing goods for a company that has promised to buy them.