Fact Check

IRS Audit Scam

Michigan Department of Treasury issues an alert about fraudulent e-mail notifications of Internal Revenue Service e-audits.

Published Feb. 12, 2002

Claim:

Claim:   The Michigan Department of Treasury issued an alert about fraudulent e-mail notifications of Internal Revenue Service "e-audits."


Status:   Sort of.

Example:   [Collected on the Internet, 2002]




Special Alert to the Public:

The Michigan Department of Treasury recently received an alert from the Internal Revenue Service about a fraudulent scam being conducted via E mail that you should be on the look out for:

Some taxpayers have received an e mail from a non-IRS source indicating that the taxpayer is under audit and needs to complete a questionnaire within 48 hours to avoid The assessment of penalties and interest. The e-mail refers to an "e-audit" and references IRS form 1040. The taxpayer is asked to for social security numbers, bank account numbers and other confidential information. THE IRS DOES NOT CONDUCT E-AUDITS, NOR DOES IT NOTIFY TAXPAYERS OF A PENDING AUDIT VIA E MAIL. THIS E MAIL IS NOT FROM THE IRS. Do not provide the requested information — this may be an
identity-theft attempt.

If you receive an e mail of this nature — the source may be the address
blesstheday.com, please contact the Internal Revenue Service office in your area.



Origins:   The above-quoted message was indeed a warning posted the web site of the Michigan Department of Treasury. Michigan then removed the warning from their site (and replaced it with a reworded version a few days later) after determining that the original message had been part of a "promotional gimmick" and was not an attempt to obtain personal information from Internet users for illicit purposes.

Last updated:   6 January 2008