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View Full Version : A very strange e-mail



steven c newman
11-24-2010, 12:06 AM
I got a notice from IRS.gov today. Not sure why. I never have given them my e-mail address. It said that somehow (over the last seven years) I had overpaid over $500! I needed to file a "claim" with them, using the computer. It also said that their "phone lines" for this were down. Hmmm. Never got any paperwork through the "regular" mail. Something smells here, don't you think? The claim needed all my info. NO, I did NOT complete that form. Does this smell like spam?:confused:

Jim McFarland
11-24-2010, 12:12 AM
I<snip> Does this smell like spam?:confused:

Absolutely!

Ken Fitzgerald
11-24-2010, 12:14 AM
Not spam.....scam.


Don't reply!

Jeff Bratt
11-24-2010, 3:02 AM
Definitely a scam. From the real irs.gov "The IRS does not discuss tax account matters with taxpayers by e-mail."

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=211669,00.html

Forward the offending email to - phishing@irs.gov, and then delete it from your in box.

Harlan Coverdale
11-24-2010, 5:21 AM
Another similar and common scam is an official looking email from the IRS that says your tax return was rejected. Like Jeff said, the IRS would NEVER send you a notice like this through email. Don't even bother to open them just hit Delete.

Don Alexander
11-24-2010, 8:12 PM
there is absolutely ZERO legitimate email EVER from either tax or banking entities with whom you have not initiated the contact

do yourself a favor and DO NOT respond just delete it and then delete it from the deleted items folder as well

glenn bradley
11-24-2010, 8:51 PM
Do people actually even consider responding to ANYONE that they did not contact first??? My SPAM filter trashes EVERYTHING that I do not specifically permit.

Bruce Page
11-24-2010, 9:07 PM
Do people actually even consider responding to ANYONE that they did not contact first??? My SPAM filter trashes EVERYTHING that I do not specifically permit.

Some do, that's why the scammers are out there. I received my umpteenth "Urgent Order" scam email today. I delete them but obviously some people bite and get scammed.

Gary Hodgin
11-24-2010, 10:03 PM
Definite scam. Don't reply at all.

Steve knight
11-24-2010, 10:47 PM
No this is real give them all your info as they don't have it on hand for some reason. I guess their computers are down again. No big deal if they need a little bit of money to release a check.

Don Alexander
11-25-2010, 9:42 AM
sadly there are ALOT of people who bite on these scams thus the rediculous number of scams going around just keeps growing

if they weren't getting anything from their scams they wouldn't be working them so hard

Jeff Mohr
11-25-2010, 10:37 AM
I got the same email and after filling out all the information my Nigerian IRS agent told me I had to send them money before I get my refund check as they would be able to double it and add it to the inheritance I was awarded by some wealthy family.

Hopefully my check will come one of these days........ :rolleyes:

Dan Karachio
11-26-2010, 10:17 AM
Do people actually even consider responding to ANYONE that they did not contact first??? My SPAM filter trashes EVERYTHING that I do not specifically permit.

Amen. To this day my Dad sends me and everyone else every spam thing there is. He is not senile, but I will soon be if he doesn't stop. It drives me insane to show him how easy is it is to google each message to find out in seconds it is a hoax.

Rob Wachala Jr
11-26-2010, 12:50 PM
I got a notice from IRS.gov today. Not sure why. I never have given them my e-mail address. It said that somehow (over the last seven years) I had overpaid over $500! I needed to file a "claim" with them, using the computer. It also said that their "phone lines" for this were down. Hmmm. Never got any paperwork through the "regular" mail. Something smells here, don't you think? The claim needed all my info. NO, I did NOT complete that form. Does this smell like spam?:confused:


The IRS never send an email. This type of mail is referred to as a 'Phish'.

Scott Shepherd
11-26-2010, 6:40 PM
I saw an email recently that was telling me that the post office had tried to deliver my package and couldn't, click on the link to get the details. I knew it was spam, so I ignored it.

Not so much for the person across the desk from me. It was sent to his personal email account, which he logged into, outside of the work email. He clicked the link and brought me a print out, telling me the post office had a package for me.

I asked him how the post office got his personal email address from a package mailed to work. He said he didn't think about that. I told him to run his virus scanner. He did. Virus found and removed.

Be careful out there.