Alert: New TAS Phishing Scam
We have learned of a new phishing scam in which taxpayers receive emails purporting to be from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (and bearing our logo). The email contains a bogus case number and says:
“Your reported 2013 income is flagged for review due to a document processing error. Your case has been forwarded to the Taxpayer Advocate Service for resolution assistance. To avoid delays processing your 2013 filing contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service for resolution assistance.”
The email contains a link where the recipient can find contact information for the “advocate” assigned to their case that solicits personal information such as the recipient’s legal name and contact information. There’s also a link to review “your reported income” that again solicits this kind of personal information.
If you get inquiries from taxpayers about these messages, please tell them NOT to click on the link and to forward the email to the IRS’s designated address for such e-mails: phishing@irs.gov. Taxpayers can find instructions for forwarding the messages on IRS.gov.