Citizens warned about IRS ‘phishing’ scams

With tax season underway, the Kentucky Department of Revenue wants to warn citizens of ‘phishing’ scams that result in tax fraud and identity theft.

According to a news release, phishing emails appear to be from a trusted source but are actually sent by a malicious source to gain access to personal or confidential information. Many phishing emails contain a link which, if followed, could lead to a computer being infected with malware. This could allow criminals to access files containing valuable personal information.

These phishing emails are scams designed to trick or scam taxpayers into thinking these are official communications from the IRS or others in the tax industry, including software companies.

Commissioner Daniel Bork says, “We hope that all taxpayers will take every precaution to secure their valuable information and we will continue to use all of our resources to protect our taxpayers against identity theft and tax fraud.”

Warning signs of phishing emails include email addresses that are not in the proper format or use the incorrect domain, improper use of english and will often use urgency and fear tactics to make the victim react without thinking it through. People are urged to examine each email carefully and if it seems remotely suspicious, contact the IRS directly through another method.

If an email appears to be from Department of Revenue but looks suspicious, contact them at 502-564-458. **