BROOKLYN — Congressman Vito Fossella (R-Bay Ridge/Staten Island) is warning that con artists are targeting taxpayers looking for their 2008 Economic Stimulus payment, or an outstanding tax refund. Fossella’s office was informed by federal agents last week that the IRS has received reports of people receiving official looking e-mails that claim to come from the IRS.

Using the IRS name and logo, e-mail scammers are instructing people if they want to receive their Economic Stimulus payment or an outstanding tax refund, they should click on a link or open an attachment to give their personal information, which can then lead to identity theft.

Fossella is reminding Brooklynites that:

• The IRS never sends unsolicited emails about your taxes.

• The IRS does not send e-mail requesting your PIN numbers, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.

• Filing a 2007 federal tax return is all you needed to do to get a stimulus payment if you are eligible.

• If you think you received a scam e-mail message purporting to be from the IRS, do not reply to it or open any attachments. Forward the email to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov

Fossella also says that instead of responding to suspect e-mail messages, taxpayers who are expecting a payment from the IRS should go to the IRS web site at www.irs.gov and click on the “Economic Stimulus Payment Information Center� link. Taxpayers without access to the Internet can call the IRS Economic Stimulus Payment Hotline at (866) 234-2942.

Bob Capano, director of Brooklyn Operations for Congressman Fossella, stated, “Con artists are always searching for new ways to scam innocent people- we need to be vigilant in watching out for them and careful not to fall for their tricks. It’s unfortunate that some individuals have no conscience and rob innocent people through fraudulent scams. The best way to protect yourself from being conned is to educate yourself about the latest scams and to know what to look for.�

Nationally, the IRS has been looking for more than 279,000 taxpayers who are missing economic stimulus checks totaling about $163 million. By law, economic stimulus checks must be sent out by Dec. 31 of this year. The undelivered economic stimulus checks average $583.

Last year, Congressman Fossella, Brooklyn District Attorney Hynes, and the Bay Ridge Consumer Federation held an Identity Theft Consumer Forum at the Shore Hill Community Center in Bay Ridge. The purpose of the forum was to inform consumers of ways that they can protect themselves from various scams and protect their personal information to prevent identity theft.

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