I got the below email earlier today. It's the second time in a month I've received such an email. The first time I deleted it in disgust. This time I'm hopping mad, and I'll tell you why below the jump.
The email in its entirety:
From Internal Revenue Service <feeback@mailer.irs.gov>
Date 2007/08/02 Thu AM 10:33:37 PDT
Subject Tax Refund Notice (Form 1040XYS)
This is Francis V. from the Refund Operations Department at Internal Revenue Service (United States Department of the Treasury).
After the last annual calculation of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $103.82.
Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 2-4 days in order to process it.
A refund can be delayed for a variety of reason. For exemple (invalid records or applying after the deadline). The good news is that Internal Revenue Service will make this refund directly to your visa and/or mastercard linked to your checking/savings account instead a check or a direct deposit.
To access the form for your tax refund, please continue to our secure server form at: [link deleted]
Important: Do not use credit and/or american express or discover cards. Only cards that are linked to your checking/savings account are accepted.
Regards,
Francis V.
Internal Revenue Service - Tax Refund Specialist
Why am I hopping mad? Because it purports to come from the IRS. People who would never fall for Nigerian-oil-money-scams or chain-mail-scams or any number of other scams could very easily fall for this one -- particularly, I fear, the elderly.
I'm taking up valuable diary space just as a warning. If you know of anyone, friend or family member, who you think could be in danger of falling for this one, please alert them that this scam is out there.
I normally just delete this stuff, but this one is going to get sent to my state's Attorney General.
Grrrr.
UPDATE: I just did a little digging and found out that anyone who gets a message like this should forward it intact to phishing@irs.gov.
Heh. Stoopid scammers are gonna have IRS agents comin' after them now. Eejits.