Elamb Cybersecurity

Tag: IRS tax form

  • IRS Notification – Tax refund Malware

    Every tax year there is a flood of “IRS TAX” Scams/phishing/malware attempts sent to Americans from all over the world.  First of all the IRS does not care enough to tell you anything except to give them money by Snail Mail.

    If you receive any scams/phishing or malware report it: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Report-Phishing

    From IRS.gov

    The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. This includes requests for PIN numbers, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.

    What is phishing?

    Phishing is a scam typically carried out through unsolicited email and/or websites that pose as legitimate sites and lure unsuspecting victims to provide personal and financial information.

    Report all unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS or an IRS-related function tophishing@irs.gov. Recent scams have used the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) to attract potential victims.  Also, if you’ve experienced any monetary losses due to an IRS-related incident, please report it to the Treasury Inspector General Administration (TIGTA) and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through their Complaint Assistant to make the information available to investigators.

    NOTE: Please refer to Contact the IRS if you have a tax question not related to phishing or identity theft.

    Example of IRS Tax Email Scam/Malware

    SUBJECT: IRS Notification

    Attachment:  IRS Tax Return (Registration Form).html – malware detected

    The IRS is currently reviewing tax payers information in our database.
    This review covers all those that have filed for their 2015 tax refunds
    and those that are yet to file. Updating our systems becomes necessary
    as an added protection against computing errors and misrepresentation.

    A document is attached to this message containing the registration form with
    all neccessary fields, (*) means field is required.

    It is vital you carefully fill out all necessary  fields as it applies to you.
    More importantly, it is mandatory to fill all required fields on this form.

    You are not required to take any further action after filling and submitting this form via the link provided.

    Thank you.

  • LTR 2800C IRS TAX Form *NOT A SCAM*

    I receive a letter called a 2800C.  Since I have received  fake IRS forms (and corporate compliance scams), my immediate assumption was “its a scam. trash it.”  But after I read through it, I could see that it was REAL.  And I was terrified.

    LTR 2800C IRS TAX Form
    LTR 2800C IRS TAX Form

    I thought of Wesley Snipes, Nicholas Cage, Lauryn Hill and all the other celebrities that have had very public and very serious tax issues that land them in court or jail.  Then I thought about the small business’ that end up owing an insane about of money in fees and back taxes to the IRS.

    What I found is that all I need to do is call them and talk to them to straighten it out.

    I immediately researched this letter on the Internet because I did not fully understand it.  I paid my taxes, attached all necessary W-2s/1099s/1040s.  So what could be wrong.  The form was saying “Withholding Rate (Marital Status) : single” and I KNOW that was wrong.  After researching online the best advice I found came from Vista Professional Services:

    Their first bit of advice is the best “Don’t Panic”.

    You don’t really know what is going on until you call them.  For me, it turns out that they simply had not received my taxes yet.  I called, they double checked and found that they were there.

    Withholding Compliance Unit is the section of the IRS that handles this:

    P.O. Box 9047, Stop 837

    Andover, MA 01810-0947

    1-866-791-0289

    How did you know its not a Scam?

    ok, I won’t discuss the Constitutional argument about whether or not the IRS itself is real or whether it has the right to impose and enforce taxes.   I don’t agree with a lot of how its done but refusing to pay is the wrong way for me to voice that grievance.  As far as I know flat out refusing to pay taxes is how jail happens.  Jail is real enough for me.

    IRS
    IRS

    So When I say “how do you know its not a scam” I am saying how do you know if the NOTICE 2800C is really from the IRS.

    1)  Its is sent from your employer.  The form will be sent to your employer and include instructions for your employer.

    2) Contains legit IRS contact information.  A legit form will have a 866/800 number that you can check against contact information you can verify on irs.gov.  Once you call the IRS, you can then verify.  They will have the your issue in their database.

    3) Has your personal information on it.  “For Internal Use Only xxx-xx-xxxx”  is printed on the bottom of the forms with YOUR social on it.  The forms will have your first, last names and middle initial.  It will include the employers information (name and address) .

     

    LTR 2800C IRS Tax Notice:

    MM DD YYYY LTR 2800C W2

    SNXXXXXXXX

    ***Employer: Provide this letter to your employee within 10 days of receipt.***

    Employee:  FirstName M.I. LastName

    Social Security Number: XXX-XX-XXXX

    Employer: Corp. Inc

    Dear FirstName M.I. LastName

    WHY ARE WE WRITING TO YOU?

    Blah, Blah, Blah .. We have determined that you are not entitled to a claim exempt status or more than a specified number of withholding allowances.

    WHAT INSTRUCTIONS DID WE GIVE YOUR EMPLOYERS?

    Withholding Rate (Marital Status) : single

    Withholding Allowance: 0000

    IF YOU DON’T AGREE

    You can request a change of this determination. Please call us at the number shown below within 30 days from the date of this letter.  We’ll consider your explanation of why you are entitled to a different withholding rate and/or number of withholding allowances (or exempt status).

    When you call, have the following information available.  If you file jointly, you must have the same information available for your spouse.