Scam Email Promises IRS Tax Refund of $129.72

Left: screen capture of fake IRS site

In my Inbox today arrived an official-looking email from what purported to be an IRS email address: service@irs.gov. Extra cash is always appreciated on my end, so I read on.

Here is the text of the email:

After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have
determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $129.72.
Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 3-9 days in order to
process it.

A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.

To access your tax refund, please click here

Best Regards,
Tax Refund Deparment
Internal Revenue Service

Hidden in the clickable link, however, are a series of Redirect commands that move you from the URL http://audio-master.com.ar/catalog/images/secure.php to another URL http://promoexpo.com.mx/cp/scripts/.secure/www.irs.gov/0,,id=96596,00.html.

To the unwary recipient of the email, this might seem to be an opportunity to collect some unexpected money, but the purpose of this scam is simply to collect your personal information. Don't be a sucker - the IRS never asks for personal identifying or financial information via unsolicited e-mail. Furthermore, taxpayers do not have to complete a special form to obtain refunds, since any owed monies are automatically remitted by the IRS to the taxpayer.