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IRS Warns Taxpayers of New E-mail Scams
 
The Internal Revenue Service alerted taxpayers to the latest versions of an e-mail scam intended to fool people into believing they are under investigation by the agency’s Criminal Investigation division.

The e-mail purporting to be from IRS Criminal Investigation falsely states that the person is under a criminal probe for submitting a false tax return to the California Franchise Tax Board. The e-mail seeks to entice people to click on a link or open an attachment to learn more information about the complaint against them. The IRS warned people that the e-mail link and attachment is a Trojan Horse that can take over the person’s computer hard drive and allow someone to have remote access to the computer.

The IRS urged people not to click the link in the e-mail or open the attachment.
Similar e-mail variations suggest a customer has filed a complaint against a company and the IRS can act as an arbitrator. The latest versions appear aimed at business taxpayers as well as individual taxpayers.

The IRS does not send out unsolicited e-mails or ask for detailed personal and financial information. Additionally, the IRS never asks people for the PIN numbers, passwords or similar secret access information for their credit card, bank or other financial accounts.

“Everyone should beware of these scam artists,” said Kevin M. Brown, Acting IRS Commissioner. “Always exercise caution when you receive unsolicited e-mails or e-mails from senders you don’t know.”

Recipients of questionable e-mails claiming to come from the IRS should not open any attachments or click on any links contained in the e-mails. Instead, they should forward the e-mails to phishing@irs.gov (follow the instructions).

The IRS also sees other e-mail scams that involve tricking victims into revealing private personal and financial information over the Internet, a practice that is known as “phishing” for information.

The IRS and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration work with the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) and various Internet service providers and international CERT teams to have the phishing sites taken offline as soon as they are reported.

Since the establishment of the mail box last year, the IRS has received more than 17,700 e-mails from taxpayers reporting more than 240 separate phishing incidents. To date, investigations by TIGTA have identified host sites in at least 27 different countries, as well as in the United States.

Other fraudulent e-mail scams try to entice taxpayers to click their way to a fake IRS Web site and ask for bank account numbers. Another widespread e-mail tells taxpayers the IRS is holding a refund (often $63.80) for them and seeks financial account information. Still another email claims the IRS’s ‘anti-fraud commission’ is investigating their tax returns.

Related Items:

Suspicious e-Mails and Identity Theft

HYDROGEN-POWERED HONDA VEHICLE QUALIFIES FOR TAX CREDIT

The Internal Revenue Service acknowledged the certification by American Honda Motor Company, Inc, that one of its vehicles meets the requirements of the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit as a qualified fuel cell vehicle.

Purchasers of the 2005 and 2006 Honda FCX, which is only capable of operating on hydrogen, may rely on their certification concerning the vehicle’s qualification for the Qualified Fuel Cell Motor Vehicle Credit. 

The credit amount for the 2005 and 2006 Honda FCX is $12,000.

Mazda Vehicles Certified As Qualified Hybrid Vehicles

The Internal Revenue Service has acknowledged the certification by Mazda Motor of America, Inc., that several of its Model Year 2008 vehicles meet the requirements of the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit as qualified hybrid motor vehicles.

The credit amount for the certified 2008 model year hybrid vehicles are:

bulletMazda Tribute 2WD Hybrid — $3,000
 
bulletMazda Tribute 4WD Hybrid — $2,200

Taxpayers may claim the full amount of the allowable credit up to the end of the first calendar quarter after the quarter in which the manufacturer records its sale of the 60,000th vehicle. For the second and third calendar quarters after the quarter in which the 60,000th vehicle is sold, taxpayers may claim 50 percent of the credit. For the fourth and fifth calendar quarters, taxpayers may claim 25 percent of the credit. No credit is allowed after the fifth quarter.

More information on hybrid vehicles and other alternative motor vehicles can be found on the IRS Web site at IRS.gov.   

Ford Hybrids Still Qualify for Tax Credit

The Internal Revenue Service announced that purchasers of qualified Ford Motor Company vehicles may continue to claim the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit.

The announcement comes after the IRS concluded its quarterly review of the number of hybrid vehicles sold. Ford sold 5,149 qualifying vehicles to retail dealers during the quarter ending March 31, 2007.  This brings the total number of Ford qualifying hybrids reported to date to 27, 275.

The credit amount and make and model of the certified vehicles sold are:

bulletFord Escape 2WD Hybrid Model Year 2008 — $3,000
bulletFord Escape 2WD, Model Years 2005, 2006 and 2007 — $2,600
bulletFord Escape 4WD Hybrid Model Year 2008 — $2,200 
bulletFord Escape 4WD, Model Years 2005, 2006 and 2007 — $1,950
bulletMercury Mariner 4WD Hybrid Model year 2008 — $2,200 
bulletMercury Mariner 4WD, Model Years 2006 and 2007 — $1,950
bulletMercury Mariner 2WD Hybrid Model Year 2008 — $3,000

Taxpayers may claim the full amount of the allowable credit up to the end of the first calendar quarter after the quarter in which the manufacturer records its sale of the 60,000th vehicle. For the second and third calendar quarters after the quarter in which the 60,000th vehicle is sold, taxpayers may claim 50 percent of the credit. For the fourth and fifth calendar quarters, taxpayers may claim 25 percent of the credit. No credit is allowed after the fifth quarter.

Parents Can Get Credit for Sending Kids to Day Camp 

Here’s a tax break for the busy summer. Many working parents must arrange for care of their children under 13 years of age during the school vacation period. A popular solution — with a tax benefit — is a day camp program.

The cost of day camp can count as an expense towards the child and dependent care credit. Expenses for overnight camps do not qualify. If your childcare provider is a sitter at your home, you'll get some tax benefit if you qualify for the credit.

The credit is generally 20% to 35% of non-reimbursed expenses; up to $3000 in expenses for one child and up to $6000 for two or more children. The actual credit is also based on your income.

You figure the credit on up to $3,000 of expenses for one child, $6,000 for two or more children.  The credit rate ranges from 20% to 35% of expenses, depending on your income.  The 35% rate applies if your income is under $15,000; the 20% rate, if your income is over $43,000.

For more information, check out IRS Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses available on the IRS Web site, IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

bullet IRS Publication 503, Child and Dependent

 

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Last modified: 07/27/07